# Dropping Landline



## Eddie_T (Sep 27, 2021)

I am thinking of dropping my landline. I have a cellphone (flip) that I pay $25 for 120 days. Of course it's minutes limited but I can get it unlocked and switch to Ting Wireless and have unlimited minutes for $10 per month. Is there any reason not to drop a landline?


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## oldognewtrick (Sep 27, 2021)

We dropped our landline 5 years ago. Only people who called were telemarketers. Haven't missed it yet.


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## bud16415 (Sep 28, 2021)

I dropped my land line 8 years ago and it has been no issues. We get our internet from the cable company and when the guy came to hook it up he tried selling us the package of TV, phone and internet and i told him just internet. When we are in or around the house the smart phones connect to the internet anyway. We have an antenna and get 17 local TV channels and we only use it for local news for the most part and stream all our other TV from the internet. 

The only people I know that still have land lines are people that where their house is located are in a dead zone.


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## Eddie_T (Sep 28, 2021)

My internet comes from the phone company but I think I can drop the phone and retain the internet as they are separate on the bill. My TV is OTA using a homemade antenna (Stealth Hawk). I find that I can stream most TV programs after the fact using either ROKU or a HDMI cable. Some require a subscription to view on ROKU but will stream free via HDMI from my Chromebook.


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## Sparky617 (Sep 29, 2021)

I held on to my landline for more years than I should have.  We dropped it earlier this year when we switched to Google Fiber and dropped CATV at the same time.  We were increasingly only getting spam/telemarketers calls.  Haven't missed it.


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## Guzzle (Nov 28, 2021)

Landline fidelity is better, almost like Western Electric and Bell Labs wanted it to be.

With the telemarketers I work on my improv routine.  They may not miss me but they will remember me.


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## Sparky617 (Nov 28, 2021)

Guzzle said:


> Landline fidelity is better, almost like Western Electric and Bell Labs wanted it to be.
> 
> With the telemarketers I work on my improv routine.  They may not miss me but they will remember me.


I work in the telecom industry and spent a number of years working to improve our voice quality For our traditional LD service.  Now cell is the way most people communicate. Landlines are increasingly VOIP and will soon be pretty much only found at businesses. My kids will never have landlines, why would they?  Voice Mail is another thing that is falling out of favor.  I rarely leave one. For work calls I almost always hit them with a instant message before I call. Personal calls I start with a text.


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## Eddie_T (Nov 28, 2021)

Sparky617 said:


> Personal calls I start with a text.


I have a friend who says his grand kids don't answer a call since they mostly text. Could he trick them into answering by starting with a text?

I don't know as the only text I have ever sent is BAL (from my flip phone) to Page Plus.


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## Sparky617 (Nov 29, 2021)

I text first to see if it is a convenient time to talk.


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## Spicoli43 (Nov 29, 2021)

I'm going to get a landline and dig up the old Rotary phone... Reminds me of this video... I HATE talking on the phone, people know it's about 2 minutes until I get irritated, so make it quick. I'll have the cell with 100 minutes a month or whatever and I'll keep it in a Go Bag, but the thing gets 4 or 5 spam bot texts a day AND 5 plus bot calls a day. It's worthless.


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## Eddie_T (Nov 29, 2021)

That's another point to consider. I currently leave my cell phone off and didn't set up voice mail box so zero bot or spam. If I made it my only link I would have to leave it on more but at least it would have free caller ID. Page Plus PayGo is $10+ for 166 minutes with 120 day expiry. Minutes carry over if renewed prior to expiry. That's .06/min maybe expensive but not if you don't need or use them.


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## BuzzLOL (Nov 29, 2021)

I switched my land line service over to Magic Jack a few years ago. It works over the internet but my computer doesn't need to be on. I kept the same earlier phone number. (If you cancelled a land line, your old number may still be available). It costs about $27 a YEAR if pay for 4 or 5 years at a time! Yes, I only have a phone bill about once every 4 or 5 YEARS! It's unlimited free local and long distance calls. Also free calls to anyone else in the WORLD that also has Magic Jack service! Plus free call waiting, free caller I.D., etc... Also, it does have a DIAL TONE! So you know it's working... 
I have about 10 old landlines extension phones on it, kitchen, 2 in Living Room, each bedroom, family room, basement, 2 in garage... rotary dialing doesn't work, but can receive calls on older phones. 
I also have a minutes cell phone since there are almost no pay phones that work any more while out on the road. It costs about $2.50/month, 4 months at a time for $10. I leave it off unless expecting a call and don't yack on it for a long time, just get quick messages through. I don't like calls while away from home, just let the landline answering machine take them.


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## Eddie_T (Nov 29, 2021)

Thanks, I forgot about Magic Jack I used to have it for long distance as in-state calls were more expensive than out-of-state on my landline.


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## tomtheelder2020 (Nov 29, 2021)

Will calling 911 from your cell phone give responders your address? I kept my landline for a lot of years because, here at least, a 911 call only gave them the cell tower location. When my internet provider set up their VOIP system to make the address automatically display to responders I went that route.


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## havasu (Nov 29, 2021)

I use Straight Talk. Shows at the PD as a land line, which provides my address in an emergency. $50 for the box at Wally World, then $15 a month. Be careful with any VOIP, since they have no idea where you are calling from. By the time they transfer you to the correct PD, you could be dead.


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## tomtheelder2020 (Nov 30, 2021)

havasu said:


> IBe careful with any VOIP, since they have no idea where you are calling from. By the time they transfer you to the correct PD, you could be dead.


Before signing up they said my 911 call WOULD display the address. I will double check that.  Thanks for letting me know.


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## Sparky617 (Nov 30, 2021)

tomtheelder2020 said:


> Will calling 911 from your cell phone give responders your address? I kept my landline for a lot of years because, here at least, a 911 call only gave them the cell tower location. When my internet provider set up their VOIP system to make the address automatically display to responders I went that route.


Yes, your cell phone will give your location to 911 call centers.  You can also dial 911 on any cellphone provided it has a SIM card, you don't need to have a provider.


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## Spicoli43 (Nov 30, 2021)

Eddie_T said:


> That's another point to consider. I currently leave my cell phone off and didn't set up voice mail box so zero bot or spam. If I made it my only link I would have to leave it on more but at least it would have free caller ID. Page Plus PayGo is $10+ for 166 minutes with 120 day expiry. Minutes carry over if renewed prior to expiry. That's .06/min maybe expensive but not if you don't need or use them.



You can get Red Pocket with 1000 minutes a month / Unlimited text for $84 a year now... I have something similar with them for $99 a year and will never get close to using the 1000 minutes.... Regardless though, less than a cent a minute.

It's on Ebay...  $7/Mo Red Pocket Prepaid Wireless Phone Plan+Kit:1000 Talk Unlimited Text 1GB


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## havasu (Nov 30, 2021)

Using a cell phone while dialing 911 will normally connect to a central dispatch for the highway patrol (at least in California). After explaining the what's and where's, they will transfer to the local regional police, where you have to once again explain the what's and where's.


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## Eddie_T (Nov 30, 2021)

I am completing my year on Page Plus which I chose only to get the LG Classic flip phone for $25. I will get it unlocked then will have many options. Having cell phone service for less than $8/mo was better than my old service which was only .015/min but I wasn't using the minutes. Most of my calls are incoming from people with landline or unlimited minutes so I have been taking them on the landline. If I drop the landline I need to take that into account.


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## kok328 (Nov 30, 2021)

I've had cell only for many years now but, I recall 911 calls, medical alerts and burglar alarms had to be thought about before cutting the phone cord.


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## tomtheelder2020 (Nov 30, 2021)

Sparky617 said:


> Yes, your cell phone will give your location to 911 call centers.  You can also dial 911 on any cellphone provided it has a SIM card, you don't need to have a provider.



Sparky, what Havasu said above is exactly right for CA.  


			Calling 911


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## Sparky617 (Dec 2, 2021)

tomtheelder2020 said:


> Sparky, what Havasu said above is exactly right for CA.
> 
> 
> Calling 911


Glancing at the link, it would appear specific to some areas in LA County.  Cell phones use location identification services to determine where you are located and route it to the correct 911 center.  The majority of calls to 911 come from cell phones today.  Landlines are quickly becoming a thing of the past.  And I've been in the phone industry for close to 40 years.  If our fiber phone service is available to your address we won't install a copper landline to your house.  Your service will be on fiber, even if you don't opt for internet or TV services.  Phone companies want to retire the aging and higher maintenance copper outside plant and all the equipment that supports that service.  Northern Telecom (Nortel) made a lot of that gear and they went out of business a decade or more ago.


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## Eddie_T (Dec 2, 2021)

I would keep landline for backup but it has become too expensive. With all the this-and-that fixed charges I am paying $37.37 per month compared to $10 + tax for cell phone service. Plus the cell service includes caller ID, long distance and mail box at no extra charge. Now if there was just some way to get cheap high speed internet I would be in business.


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## Spicoli43 (Dec 2, 2021)

Eddie_T said:


> I would keep landline for backup but it has become too expensive. With all the this-and-that fixed charges I am paying $37.37 per month compared to $10 + tax for cell phone service. Plus the cell service includes caller ID, long distance and mail box at no extra charge. Now if there was just some way to get cheap high speed internet I would be in business.



Yeah, there's no way I would pay that with the minimum cell phone deals we have. I will have to investigate what my charge would be since Charter never talks about Phone service anymore.


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## tomtheelder2020 (Dec 2, 2021)

Sparky617 said:


> Phone companies want to retire the aging and higher maintenance copper outside plant and all the equipment that supports that service.  Northern Telecom (Nortel) made a lot of that gear and they went out of business a decade or more ago.


I wish AT&T would upgrade equipment in my area. I have to use Wave Broadband (cable company) for internet because ATT can only manage 12 mbs over old landline. Question: When old equipment is replaced with fiber, do they replace up to the house or just to the poles?


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## raymond- (Dec 2, 2021)

It bears mentioning that just because you have a landline doesn't necessarily mean that your old
land line phone will be compatible as some service providers have switched from analog service
over to digital.  So take a moment to look into compatibility.   I still have a trimline which I used
when electrical power is out....but that fallback method is no longer possible now that AT&T has
gone digital in most of Seattle


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## BuzzLOL (Dec 3, 2021)

Spicoli43 said:


> Regardless though, less than a cent a minute.


To figure the actual cost per minute you have to use the actual number of minutes actually used...


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## Eddie_T (Dec 3, 2021)

BuzzLOL said:


> To figure the actual cost per minute you have to use the actual number of minutes actually used...


That's what I tell my friends, unlimited minutes mean nothing if you don't use them. My current plan is in reality a placeholder. Since I don't use all my .06 minutes I am paying around $8/mo just to have a phone in my pocket (much better than paying $100 for same).

edit: I forgot to mention that I overpaid because I failed to read the fine print. I was letting my minutes expire before renewing. After I discovered that by renewing before expiry minutes carry over I now have a comfortable balance and it only takes a $10+tax tickler for another 120 days of service.


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## ajaynejr (Jan 15, 2022)

I have had a land line installed in an unoccupied building so I could have a device I dial into and get a temperature report as a safeguard against heating failure and freeze up in winter.

Didn't want to use wifi which would require a running PC that might crash plus an internet ISP which costs a lot more per month compared with a minimal measured (by the minute) land line.


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## Krich (Jan 29, 2022)

> I text first to see if it is a convenient time to talk.



I got email back in the day for electronic messages so I'll be happy to send someone an email and they can read it and reply on their smart phone. 

I don't text because it's on this little phone when I can instead send an email on my nice computer keyboard (much more convenient) using my computer with the nice flat screen TV that I use for a monitor.

I'm sure it'd be different had I grown up texting, but I didn't and instead use email for all my electronic messages since texting is not convenient. Too much trouble using a little keyboard on a phone and then you have to answer incoming texts. 

I'm living good without it. If everyone is going to texting then I'll enjoy some peace and quite - but then again I work all day in a service job so I enjoy peace and quiet


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## Eddie_T (Jan 29, 2022)

I don't text either and just have a flip phone. On it a text runs by like a ticker tape and that's not the way I read. I read sentences or even paragraphs not individual words.

Landlines and handsets have far greater clarity than smartphones. It's too bad that a cellular desk phone isn't available. I wouldn't mind paying for a second phone service that could be carried room to room like my cordless. I saw the review of a cell phone that looked like a Bell handset but the review wasn't very good.


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## Eddie_T (Jan 30, 2022)

I did another handset search finding one with good reviews. It's made in Germany soI may give it a try. 
https://www.amazon.com/Opis-Technol...643592324&sprefix=handset,aps,208&sr=8-8&th=1


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## billshack (Jan 31, 2022)

I am also thinking about letting my land lie go .


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## bigoskii (Feb 1, 2022)

I use magic jack $35 for a year or $99 for 5 years no computer needed but it needs internet.


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## Eddie_T (Feb 1, 2022)

I had Magic Jack several years for long distance and in-state calls outside my LATA. It worked very well but if I go totally to Magic Jack I would have to provide a UPS for the modem, router and a cordless phone as my current wiring has DSL on it. It could be done I just need to think it through.


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## tomtheelder2020 (Feb 1, 2022)

I just discovered that my landline has not been operable for at least a few weeks - and none of us noticed. I think that means our cell phones are sufficient and it is time to cut the cord.


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## Eddie_T (Feb 22, 2022)

This is cordless phone, I wish they would make a cell phone like this for home use. Of course if it becomes available in US I could put it on MagicJack.


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## RedneckGrump (Sep 11, 2022)

Yeah, we gave up our landline a number of years ago, then went to a system that works online, can't remember the name of it, started with an O... I think it was called Omma was with them for a few years, and then when we moved to our last house, after about 5 years we just went to our cell phones and have been there since... Now we never miss a call unless we ignore who'd calling... Just made more sense...


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## BuzzLOL (Sep 11, 2022)

RedneckGrump said:


> Yeah, we gave up our landline a number of years ago, Just made more sense...


The Magic Jack landline is so cheap, I like to have it... and I don't like getting calls while out on the road, just let the answering machine handle them...


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## Krich (Sep 11, 2022)

We switch from a land line to a water line...


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## BuzzLOL (Sep 11, 2022)

Krich said:


> We switch from a land line to a water line...


Around here water lines went from $45 quarterly to $250 quarterly... and we dare not drink the deadly poison water...


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## Krich (Sep 11, 2022)

Well the water line is for those that want to keep their conversations... down low.

It's like putting your cell phone in Submarine Mode


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## BuzzLOL (Sep 11, 2022)

Isn't there some giant thing buried in Michigan that allows us to talk to submerged submarines?


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## Krich (Sep 12, 2022)

It's best to use a magnetic translucence capacitor when talking to the sailors on the submarine.   

Ya gotta be very careful when trying to talk to submarines... the gubment gets upset about this.

They don't want the sailors to get distracted and crash the submarine into the the dam where the captain hollars "_DAM_" right before impact... nobody would pay attention cause the captain has a potty mouth.


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