Finally dropped the landline

[Deej]

We do. Will probably loose it when we upgrade our cell phones and plans at some point.

 

[athena53]

I too have Ooma. I've also noticed that I've been giving my cell number out more and more as many places assume the number is a cell and then use that to text to to communicate.

I'll still keep my Ooma service though as I use enough to justify keeping.

I've got MagicJack and it's the equivalent of a spamcatcher e-mail address for me. If I don't answer the call it generates an audio file of any message they leave and e-mails it to me. I'm very stingy with my cell phone number- even services that might have a legitimate temporary need for it will sometimes start sending me robo-calls or marketing text messages. So, I give them the MagicJack number as a default.

 

[losdudes]

We still have a landline because DW doesn’t like using her cell phone

 

[meleana]

When we retired and sold our home in 2019 we decided to ditch the landline and it’s been fine.

 

[fishfactory]

Had a landline for decades. Ported the phone number to a prepaid cell phone then to Google Voice. Now use the same landline phones and number for free through Google Voice.

 

[BasketCase24]

Now take the landline number, port it to an old cellphone, then to Google Voice and you’ve got a number you can put in public places, auto-screen the calls.

 

[steady saver]

It took a long time to convince my husband to drop the landline. He liked our phone number and we couldn't convert it at the time. I finally unplugged the phone and put it in the hall closet and he didn't notice it for a couple of weeks. Point made. Landline dropped.

 

[Koolau]

We dropped ours 20 years or more ago. The phone company added a charge for being able to use long distance. It was going to cost $5/month extra. Since we had a cell phone, we didn't need long distance. We called the phone company and they said "Fine. But there is a new $3/month charge for NOT having long distance." Say what? We told them to stop our service immediately!

 

[Gumby]

A brief tangent -- when I lived in Hawaii as a boy, there were so few phones that our number had only 6 digits.

 

[Car-Guy]

Well since we're taking tangents, , when I was a kid we had a party line.

 

[foxcreek9]

For those still using OOMA or any other voip, take a look at Voip.ms I just switched this weekend from ooma, where I was paying 7.70 to this service where I will be paying 2.35 (.85 for phone service, 1.50 for E911) plus a penny a minutes (they do have a fixed rate of 4.25 + 1.50 e911), which based on past usage will be about a dollar a month. Primary reason we are keeping a "landline" is E911, at least until the technology for 911 and cell location improve. So far, so good.

I will caution the setup is a little more involved than the plug-n-play of ooma and others, but they have very clear instructions and videos.

https://voip.ms/en/invite/Mzg2MDk3

 

[ERD50]

Please people, specify landline/copper(POTS-Plain Old Telephone System) versus VOIP. To many, a VOIP phone is a 'landline', so it's confusing and meaningless to some of the discussion.

Plus, you can have a 'traditional' phone/handset with/with-out multiple extensions, just like in the 'old days'- one that anyone who didn't know how you are connected, would likely call it a 'landline' - but it could be connected only to your cell phone via Bluetooth - no copper or VOIP.

https://www.amazon.com/bluetooth-home-phones/s?k=bluetooth+home+phones

And if you use your cellphone to make calls over WiFi, you are using VOIP technology, so is your cellphone now a 'landline'?

Previously, we had VOIP, and a fixed wireless connection for our internet - where is the 'land' in that? No, it's VOIP connected to a standard phone base.

I'm sure that's true. I asked Bard how many homes in the US still have landline phones and got this:

According to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, 28.7% of U.S. households had a landline phone in 2022.

That number seemed high to me - but it falls into the above. That was a survey, and the wording is important. It apparently lumps POTS and VOIP together:

https://www.securityinfowatch.com/a...-equipment/article/53061279/pots-not-dead-yet

Based on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)’s 2022 biannual National Health Interview Survey of 15,000 U.S. households, 70.7% of American households were considered “cellular phone only.” Considering that those who answer these types of surveys may not make a clear distinction between actual POTS or a VoIP system that provides a similar user experience, the percentage [of "cellular phone only"] is likely a lot higher.

I found the source CDC report, and it actually asks "do you have a working phone in the house that is not a cell phone" - so that definitely would include VOIP.

I have not yet found a good source for the number of residential POTS lines. Some businesses keep them for legacy equipment.

-ERD50

 

[fishfactory]

Foxcreek9, wouldn't it be better to port your landline number to Google Voice, which is totally free ? I did so years ago and still have the same phone number I have had for 30 years and still use the same cordless "landline" phones. $0 monthly fees.

 

[CincyDave]

Great point ERD 50. I was referring to the old copper wire land line when I started this post. I'd never even heard of a lot of the technologies mentioned here.

 

[O2Bfree]

A brief tangent -- when I lived in Hawaii as a boy, there were so few phones that our number had only 6 digits.

Some areas of my city had 6-digit numbers too. I still remember the number for my parents' restaurant, AL-3277. But our house not far away had 7 digits.

 

[foxcreek9]

Foxcreek9, wouldn't it be better to port your landline number to Google Voice, which is totally free ? I did so years ago and still have the same phone number I have had for 30 years and still use the same cordless "landline" phones. $0 monthly fees.

That would be nice, but Google Voice says that they can't port my number Of course, GV does not solve the E911 issue either, I know it is rare, but the ability to dial 911 and them knowing your address immediately without saying a word has a certain comfort to it.

 

[fishfactory]

Foxcreek9, you can port your number to a cheap prepaid cell phone (I think I paid about $20 for one at Walmart), then from that phone to Google Voice. But as far as the 911 issue, you are correct. They will not know your address. That is a risk I was willing to take, just like having to call 911 when not at home using a cell phone.

 

[foxcreek9]

Foxcreek9, you can port your number to a cheap prepaid cell phone (I think I paid about $20 for one at Walmart), then from that phone to Google Voice. But as far as the 911 issue, you are correct. They will not know your address. That is a risk I was willing to take, just like having to call 911 when not at home using a cell phone.

Not sure why, but I can't port from my cell carrier (TracFone) either.It can't be area code, as I have a GV number in our area code, so who knows, I have a google voice number for when we travel internationally.

 

[fishfactory]

Strange. Have you looked online at some tutorials on how to do it ? Things may have changed since I did it. I found the tutorials to be very helpful.

 

[Alex The Great]

Of course, GV does not solve the E911 issue either, I know it is rare, but the ability to dial 911 and them knowing your address immediately without saying a word has a certain comfort to it.

But any cell phone would be able to do that as well, as long as GPS is enabled on that device?

 

[foxcreek9]

But any cell phone would be able to do that as well, as long as GPS is enabled on that device?

it is not precise all the time

https://www.carexm.com/can-emergency-services-track-your-phone/

 

[foxcreek9]

Strange. Have you looked online at some tutorials on how to do it ? Things may have changed since I did it. I found the tutorials to be very helpful.

Just went there this morning, did the verify number (sends text), and GV comes back, "Sorry but no can do (paraphrasing here)"

 

[badatmath]

Well since we're taking tangents, , when I was a kid we had a party line.

We had one in my college dorm. . . and there were no cells back then. 4 rooms to 1 line I think.

 

[fishfactory]

Foxcreek, were you trying to verify your number AFTER porting it to a prepaid cell ? GV will only accept phone numbers that are cell numbers, not landline numbers.

 

[foxcreek9]

Foxcreek, were you trying to verify your number AFTER porting it to a prepaid cell ? GV will only accept phone numbers that are cell numbers, not landline numbers.

I checked my Tracfone number (and my DWs) and Google said it can not port either, no idea why.