Landline-obsolete or necessary?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have Magic Jack and love it.
Switched from Verizon to Cox, then to Vonage, and now am loving Magic Jack.

But then again, if there is a blackout you don't have a line. That is why we have cell phones.

??

You mean if you're using a cordless, right? An old style phone that doesn't plug into an outlet typically still works in a power outage.

But regardless - I'm so hesitant to give up my landline. One, I hate that I can't talk on my cell like I do on a regular phone, with it in the crook of my neck as I wash dishes or something. Silly, I know, but still. Two, I don't think I'd want calls from my credit card company, or the doctor, etc, coming on my cell while I'm out. I like that those calls are left on my home machine to deal with when I'm ready.

No, the Magic Jack works plugged to the computer and you need internet. That is why I said if there is a blackout you have no phone. With a blackout your computer is off and no internet. Unless you have a laptop and wireless .... but then again it would have to be wireless from someone else...

Never mind - I misread your post completely. I thought you were saying a landline doesn't work in a blackout.

[Anonymous]

We never ever use our landline also. It's through Verizon FIOS, so it doesn't work in a power outage. We're considering getting rid of it.

We lived for 2 years without a landline, and it worked fine. We only got it here because it was a package.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about alarm systems? Is there any way for it to work if you don't have a land line?

Many alarm companies will work through a mobile phone service.

[Anonymous]

Does 911 work if not a landline?

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't give up the landline in case of emergency. That's the only way 911 can find your location.

http://www.wirelessandmobilenews.com/2009/07/911-emergency-keep-landline-and-cell-says-att.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't give up the landline in case of emergency. That's the only way 911 can find your location.

http://www.wirelessandmobilenews.com/2009/07/911-emergency-keep-landline-and-cell-says-att.html

You can keep a verizon landline for emergencies - power outages, 911, lost cell phone service - for about 17 a month. Not worth giving up plus as your children age you can digitally turn off cells and people with have to call on the landline after hours.

[Anonymous]

My cell phone was useless on 9/11. Whenever I'm tempted to get rid of the landline, I just think back to that day. . . .

[Anonymous]

Landline circuits also get overloaded and can't complete calls when there is unexpected heavy use.

As for the 911 issue, weren't cell phone companies supposed to have set up e-911 service for all cell phones a couple years ago? And haven't they or maybe the regular phone companies? been charging fees for years to build it out and maintain it but for some reason haven't done so?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a little usb thing you connect to your computer. Works as voice over IP. I have it connected to a phone too, with 4 handsets. Works great!
It is $40 for the first year, then $20 for each year after that.
Yes, a YEAR. Unlimited local and long distance.
www.magicjack.com

Do you ever turn your computer off?

[Anonymous]

Am I the only person w/ a cell phone that charges me minutes unless it's night or weekend? Cheaper to use a landline than have to wait until the cell phone company decides I can have unlimited minutes or to make a call and realize it's an hr too soon or whatever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only person w/ a cell phone that charges me minutes unless it's night or weekend? Cheaper to use a landline than have to wait until the cell phone company decides I can have unlimited minutes or to make a call and realize it's an hr too soon or whatever.

Not it isn't just you. If it isn't night or weekend, I use the landline. My current landline package includes unlimited long distance. I think for me, I am still getting adjusted to the world of cell phones. The cell is great if my kid's daycare needs to get in touch with me. If I have any contractors doing work - I give my cell phone out. That said, I tend to keep my phone on vibrate at work and sometimes forget to change it when I am home. So half the time my phone is either off or on vibrate when I am home. If I am actually home, it is more inconvenient to have my cell phone with me where I can hear it than having someone call me on the landline. I assume most people will try to reach me on my cell - as much because the address book is programmed in, Verizon to Verizon minutes, or you figure if the person doesn't want to be bothered they will have their phone off. That said, I like the option if someone really wants to get in touch with me, they can try the landline - especially if it is a time a day I am likely to be home but maybe have my phone off or on vibrate. I know when I am calling someone with kids to make plans spur of the moment - I can get in touch with people with landlines easier than someone that is exclusively cell phone.

[Anonymous]

For those of you with only cell phones, just wondering how you manage when your kids are older and they need the phone. I assume you won't get them a cell phone? Won't you need a landline then?

[Anonymous]

I have friends who only have a cell and I hate calling them. Never a great signal, and I get tired of saying, "what, I missed that?" all the time.

[Anonymous]

A friend has a horror story of trying to work out with 911 where he was so that an emergency crew could come to find him and his father, who was having a heart attack. i guess he dialled 911 using a cell from PG county and was patched into fairfax. this alone makes we want a landline. i don't know if this problem has been fixed since that time. perhaps it has based on pp comments.

that said, i haven't personally had one since 2004. but, i plan to get one when we move in march.

[Anonymous]

Still have one and won't give it up.

1. Line quality. Landline is always clearer than cell. Talking cell to cell drives me nuts. Also, cell phones on conference calls if you need to do one on a weekend? Ugh. Lots and lots of line noise that everybody on the call has to listen to.

2. Service in a power outage or not having a charged phone in an emergency. I still have an old-fashioned landline phone next to my bed for those emergency calls. I think having only cordless phones or only cells is a mistake (but this is just my opinion; others could easily point out how much money keeping a landline wastes me).

3. Although I have people call me at work for most things, there are some things I prefer to get on my home answering machine. I don't really need a ten minute exposition on her scheduling difficulties from my dog walker on my work voice mail.

I feel like a dinosaur because I realize most people assume they should just call you on your cell, but I actually sort of hate my cell.