Ditch landline for cell phone + cordless units?

[nash031]

My Verizon iPhone 6 has a nifty "Enable Wi-Fi calling" feature that gives me, essentially, a VOIP phone at no extra cost. Haven't had a land line for quite a while, and I don't burn cellular minutes talking on my phone in the house. Call quality is markedly better than on network and signal strength is a non-issue.

I don't see a need for another line, another phone, cordless, etc. Of course, our house is relatively small so a cell phone left in the bedroom is easily accessible from the kitchen.

 

[Cobra9777]

OK, I'll have to investigate this or just use the obihai wifi mentioned by cathy above.

That will work fine if you have a strong WiFi signal from your router to the Obi. VoIP is very bandwidth intensive. In my experience you'll have better call quality with the Obi hardwired to a router.

So as I understand it, I can port my home phone to a Tmobil prepaid SIM card without even buying an actual cell phone to test it. Then port that to GV.

Yes, that will work, but might take 2 days for all the porting.

In your case it sounds like you first ported your home phone number to GV. To me that sounds like a decent move because if one gets a new number that (recycled?) number could come with robo calls and bill collectors too. Then did you eventually just ditch your old home phone number by getting a new GV number? Or do you have 2 GV numbers (a primary and secondary as this link discusses: having 2 GV numbers ) ?

No, I just ditched the 30-year-old landline number and got a brand new number from GV. I've had no problem with the new number related to robo or unsolicited calls, which was a huge problem with the 30-year-old number. The GV numbers don't seem to be as "recycled" as the major mobile carriers. But YMMV.

Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[Lsbcal]

Thanks Cobra, that was very helpful.

For others reading this and considering your options, I found this info from Obihai: Obihai, tutorials and tips .

 

[cathy63]

Yes, the Obi supports caller ID.

Just wondering if you are getting more caller ID info than I do, and if so, how? All I usually get is the caller's phone number. If the phone that's attached to the Obi has a stored name, then the phone displays that info from its own memory, but for unknown callers it only shows the number. I did some research and found that this is a limitation of Google Voice. They don't pay the telco fees to get access to the database for name lookups, so they don't send the caller's name in the data. Have you found a way around this?

 

[cathy63]

Hmmm....good idea. The good thing is I could set this up and test it independently of removing the landline.

Do you use caller ID with your Panasonic device? Currently if our son calls, it announces his name and DW gets very excited . Would this work the same or does one have to have the incoming caller programmed into the Panasonic addressing? The only reason we really like this is because of all the robo calls (maybe 2 per day).

Maybe you have other techniques to eliminate and/or remove robo calls? With a cell phone we have recently started using the app "Mr. Number" but don't have enough days experience to evaluate that.

In my setup, I have to have the incoming caller programmed into the Panasonic in order to get a name associated to the call. My phone does not announce anyone, it just shows the name or number on its little screen.

Google Voice does have a feature that blocks spam calls. I just checked and it's caught 18 in the past month on my line. All of them look like real spam as I don't recognize the numbers. In addition, you can choose to block any number you like via the web interface. I have blocked one robo caller that has the wrong number (it's a Spanish recording from the local detention center), and I can see they're still calling when I look at the online logs, but it never rings through.

 

[6miths]

Finally got DW to give up the landline this year. When she left w@rk she needed a new cell phone so we ported the house phone number to her new cell.

 

[Cobra9777]

Just wondering if you are getting more caller ID info than I do, and if so, how? All I usually get is the caller's phone number. If the phone that's attached to the Obi has a stored name, then the phone displays that info from its own memory, but for unknown callers it only shows the number. I did some research and found that this is a limitation of Google Voice. They don't pay the telco fees to get access to the database for name lookups, so they don't send the caller's name in the data. Have you found a way around this?

No, you are correct, with GV it's number only unless you have the name stored on the local device's contact list.

 

[Sunset]

When we turned off our landline we got a google voice number and set it up to forward to both my and DW's cell phones. It works fine, but it turns out we rarely use that number. Using the cell numbers for everything turned out to be no big deal.


https://google.com/voice

Fixed the URL:

https://voice.google.com/about

 

[Danmar]

We use our cell phones for everything. This is an advantage for us because we move around a lot. Makes it simpler for our friends/family who can always reach us but can't always keep track of where we are.

 

[Scuba]

I don't understand the benefits of GV and other similar solutions vs just canceling the land line and using cell phones only. Why wouldn't that be the simplest, effective and lower cost solution?

 

[Dawg52]

I don't understand the benefits of GV and other similar solutions vs just canceling the land line and using cell phones only. Why wouldn't that be the simplest, effective and lower cost solution?

I went with Magic Jack when I first ditched my landline thinking it would be good to have a backup phone in case my cell died or was lost. MJ worked well for a while but later not so well. The line dropped too often. So never use it now and agree with you......the cell only route is good enough for my situation. Mr Number app blocks most robo calls so those are not a problem.

 

[LastOfTheBoomers]

I don't understand the benefits of GV and other similar solutions vs just canceling the land line and using cell phones only. Why wouldn't that be the simplest, effective and lower cost solution?

For me - it was preserving a phone number we have had for 20 years - no matter how many times you send out your new number there is always a family member that has it written down in an address book - or it could be on a doctors appointment reminder database . For now it was a one time 20 dollar fee to transfer a cell number to GV - yes there is a step to go landline to SIM card.

Dropping the landline and going cold turkey is fine for most folks.

 

[Bestwifeever]

We went straight to cell by porting our landline number to a new cell phone and have never wished we had another type of system. Less is better for us.

 

[REWahoo]

We went straight to cell by porting our landline number to a new cell phone and have never wished we had another type of system. Less is better for us.

+1

We did the same 11 years ago. Our land line suffered the same fate as our dial-up internet - technology moves on.

 

[Cobra9777]

I don't understand the benefits of GV and other similar solutions vs just canceling the land line and using cell phones only. Why wouldn't that be the simplest, effective and lower cost solution?

Here are a few reasons that apply to us. Your situation may be different.

1. It's free and makes use of our existing landline phones, 2 bases, 5 cordless handsets.
2. Our house is 4500 sqft, so unless you carry the cell phone everywhere you go, you might not hear it ring.
3. Our cell signal is weak at the house, but the home phones use the broadband ISP, so more reliable.
4. We use an MVNO (Ting) that charges for actual usage, so cell voice minutes cost extra, while the VoIP is free.
5. Cell battery will sometimes be dead for hours before I notice, or I've left it on silent.

 

[CaptTom]

We ditched our land line a few years ago. Never once missed it.

Just an observation: Land line service used to be extremely reliable. Think about how rugged those old Ma Bell phones were! But lately the companies have changed hands a number of times, and I hear they're not putting much into maintenance. It's a dying industry. People are dropping their land line service in droves.

The cell industry, by comparison, is strong, maybe even still growing. There are always new towers, better coverage, upgraded technologies, etc.

True, disasters can take out cell towers. But they're far more likely to take out utility poles and the increasingly fragile land line infrastructure.

 

[REWahoo]

Just an observation: Land line service used to be extremely reliable. Think about how rugged those old Ma Bell phones were! But lately the companies have changed hands a number of times, and I hear they're not putting much into maintenance. It's a dying industry. People are dropping their land line service in droves.

The cell industry, by comparison, is strong, maybe even still growing. There are always new towers, better coverage, upgraded technologies, etc.

True, disasters can take out cell towers. But they're far more likely to take out utility poles and the increasingly fragile land line infrastructure.

^ What he said.

Our daughter lives in a valley with poor cell phone reception and is forced to hang on to a land line. Frequent outages and slow response when repairs are needed.

 

[euro]

Yes it does. We do something similar by only having 2 cell phones (no contract) and an internet phone (cordless, two handsets). Noisy landline went bye-bye years ago.


_B

Yes, we did this too, but there is a significant problem for us. We have a monitored security system and that service regularly pings our phone connection (to ensure the line is operational). Since switching to TimeWarner as internet service providers, our phone connection is not very stable anymore. By that I mean that the phone modem will crash maybe a couple of times a month. At other times, it will just drop the connection and then pick it back up a few minutes later. In either scenario, our security system senses the disconnection and raises a ruckus. Don't yet know if it is a modem problem or something about the cable service in general, but I now wish I had kept my old ATT landline - that had worked flawlessly for 25+ years

 

[target2019]

I don't understand the benefits of GV and other similar solutions vs just canceling the land line and using cell phones only. Why wouldn't that be the simplest, effective and lower cost solution?

Google Voice is free. That is the ultimate cost-effectiveness.

We ported to a tracfone. At the time GV would not allow port of landline. 1st year cost was $150. Following years are $100 each. Verizon was charging $300 per year for limited features. Now pay tracfone $100 to keep the banked minutes and texts going for a year.

Reasons to port landline:
- Have had number for almost 30 years. Some long-lost relatives or friends may use it for contact.
- On tracfone or GV solution there are additional features.
- Having an extra line is very convenient. Where I must give a phone contact, I sometimes use the landline, keeping annoying sales call away from my cell.
- In the home it is very convenient to have another internet device that can go from room to room as necessary. Turn up the heat, watch security camera, etc.
- The device can travel with us.
- Can share the device with a visitor who may have a limited plan when in town.

In a year or two I may port the number to GV.

 

[Cobra9777]

...Just an observation: Land line service used to be extremely reliable. Think about how rugged those old Ma Bell phones were! But lately the companies have changed hands a number of times, and I hear they're not putting much into maintenance. It's a dying industry. People are dropping their land line service in droves.

The cell industry, by comparison, is strong, maybe even still growing. There are always new towers, better coverage, upgraded technologies, etc...

Almost everyone I know who has traditional landline service gets it through their cable company. In our area, that means either Frontier FiOS (buried fiber optic) or Charter (overhead coax cable). Both are reliable, modern digital phone services (VoIP) and the cable infrastructure is well maintained. No one I know still has POTS (analog voice service over copper), except one friend who lives on a farm with no cable available. And yes, her monthly cost is high and reliability is poor.

There's no question that POTS is obsolete and poorly maintained, but that's not how most people or businesses get landline service these days. For those like me who still want landline service for whatever reason (I listed mine here), the choice for most is whether to pay $12-15/mo to the cable company, sub-$5 to a VoIP provider, or $0 to GV... all for the same service. I like $0.

 

[Music Lover]

We went straight to cell by porting our landline number to a new cell phone and have never wished we had another type of system. Less is better for us.

I did exactly the same. Just by fluke coincidence about 10 years ago my cordless phone and answering machine died within a couple days of each other. I switched to a cell phone and kept my number and haven't had a moment of regret since. In fact, I now often wonder how I managed to get by when the only time that I could only use my phone was when I was at home.

 

[Fedup]

Not yet. But at least this is one area I can cut if I need to.

 

[W2R]

+1

We did the same 11 years ago. Our land line suffered the same fate as our dial-up internet - technology moves on.

I like this observation. Almost nobody has a personal landline any more around here, except for a very few very elderly people who are resistant to change. There just isn't any reason for anyone to have one.

We ditched our land line a few years ago. Never once missed it.

Just an observation: Land line service used to be extremely reliable. Think about how rugged those old Ma Bell phones were! But lately the companies have changed hands a number of times, and I hear they're not putting much into maintenance. It's a dying industry. People are dropping their land line service in droves.

The cell industry, by comparison, is strong, maybe even still growing. There are always new towers, better coverage, upgraded technologies, etc.

True, disasters can take out cell towers. But they're far more likely to take out utility poles and the increasingly fragile land line infrastructure.

+1 After Hurricane Katrina, both cell and landline were severely disrupted around here. I wouldn't choose either one on the basis of being preferable after a disaster.

 

[target2019]

"46% of households still have landlines."
Headline from the NY Post.

39% have both landline and cell.

 

[W2R]

"46% of households still have landlines."
Headline from the NY Post.

39% have both landline and cell.

And that was said on the basis of data compiled for a CDC study and then described in that article. Depending on how lightning-fast the CDC gets their studies completed and released, that data used in the study could be maybe 2-3 years old already. With landline rates going up so much in the past few years, I'm thinking that the national percentages may be lower by now.