Anyone still has a land-line?

[lxskllr]

How do you people get along without a land line? Where are you redirecting all of your political calls and other telephony harassment to?

I don't get much of that. If you aren't in my contact list, I don't answer the phone. If it's important, they'll leave a message.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I don't know if Skype counts. I have a Skype Connect Me adapter that runs to my RJ-11 in my house. Essentially making a pseudo land-line (but over IP). I've had this setup for over 5 years now.

Is there any real purpose for a land-line? Do security systems need a land-line?

I use Ooma for my landline. I have trouble hearing on cell phones sometimes and the reception isn't great in my office, so I have to have an alternative.

How do you people get along without a land line? Where are you redirecting all of your political calls and other telephony harassment to?

Google Voice. Whenever I sign up for anything online (demos, etc), I always use my Google Voice number so I don't have to talk to salespeople.

 

[MustISO]

Easiest thing in the world to clip the lines and then break in.

Most systems will trigger an alarm when the line is cut.

 

[yllus]

It occurs to me that I don't even know where the RJ-11 jack is in my condo.

 

[doubledeluxe]

I had one for DSL a dozen or so years ago.

In my opinion if you have good reception you don't need one. With bad reception though it makes sense to have a land line for 911.

 

[Captante]

The only time I can recall losing cell-service here in CT for more then an hour or so was during 9-11 and even then it was back by the next day for Verizon at least.

The one thing I do miss about having a land-line phone is having a high-quality speaker phone to use when I have to sit on hold for extended periods.

 

[John Connor]

Most systems will trigger an alarm when the line is cut.

So when the phone line goes out the alarm goes off? That's unfortunate and sounds like a nuisance.

I've cut the phone line to a security system and the alarm never went off.

Cell phone connected security systems are a good idea, but cell phone jammers exist too.

 

[John Connor]

The one thing I do miss about having a land-line phone is having a high-quality speaker phone to use when I have to sit on hold for extended periods.

Bluetooth?

 

[twinrider1]

Yep, still use the copper, but just for internet/voip these days.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Yes, but this morning I ran out of hookers and blow.

 

[Jimzz]

Security systems usually do if you want the automatic 911 call (or non-cellular 911 service in general). It's also handy to have a backup in case your local cell tower is out of commission for some reason. Not to mention cell networks are easily clogged in the event of a regional emergency, whereas landlines can usually get through. Also areas without reliable cell coverage pretty much have a landline or nothing at all.

Day-to-day there's no real reason to have one for most people, but in a pinch you may end up wishing you had one.

911 is free unless something has changed. So even if you do not have a phone number it will still dial 911.

 

[JEDI]

I don't know if Skype counts. I have a Skype Connect Me adapter that runs to my RJ-11 in my house. Essentially making a pseudo land-line (but over IP). I've had this setup for over 5 years now.

Is there any real purpose for a land-line? Do security systems need a land-line?

i have dsl. ($25/month)
must have landline. ($20/mnth for minimal plan)
wished there was a cheaper alternative.

fios is more expensive.
don't need the extra speed

 

[mmntech]

I have a dry loop DSL connection with a VOIP phone. I don't use it but the other people in the house do.

Unfortunately, my ATA seems pooched. We had a power outage last week and it hasn't been working properly since. Just makes a dial tone with a clicking sound if you try to dial out. Strangely, it still takes incoming calls. I've been battling it for the last two days. Like the cherry on top of the shit sundae that has been this past week.

 

[NutBucket]

Until E911 is better than the copper 911 to the dial center, I will always maintain my landline.

Yes. I thought about getting rid of it, but the cable internet, while very reliable, is not reliable enough.

Cell phones would seem to be very reliable, but we had a tornado hit town here a couple years ago. Cell phones did not work at all for quite a while. Some towers were out, and the system was quickly overloaded.

Whenever there is a real emergency, the cell towers are either off-line, or overwhelmed.

Radios on the other hand, like Ham, CB, or FRS, will pretty much always work.

So when the phone line goes out the alarm goes off? That's unfortunate and sounds like a nuisance.

I've cut the phone line to a security system and the alarm never went off.

Cell phone connected security systems are a good idea, but cell phone jammers exist too.

All good reasons to have one. Here the threat of course are earthquakes. Copper still seems to be the most robust system so that's why we have it. I should probably wire in my alarm into the copper lines too. Couldn't hurt to have copper and cell connectivity.

 

[pontifex]

have to as cell signal is almost non-existent. also have DSL which required a landline.

 

[BoomerD]

Yep...cell service where we live is sketchy. MOST of the time, I'm doing good to get more than one bar on the "meter," and 3G/4G? fugetaboudit. Not gonna happen.
Unfortunately, my phone is provided by Wave Broadband...also my internet provider...and their service sucks. Frequent outages are the norm here. 🙁 Worst "cable" service we've ever had. Comcrap, with all their issues, was, IMO, light-years ahead of Wave for service and uptime.

 

[pontifex]

Yep...cell service where we live is sketchy. MOST of the time, I'm doing good to get more than one bar on the "meter," and 3G/4G? fugetaboudit. Not gonna happen.
Unfortunately, my phone is provided by Wave Broadband...also my internet provider...and their service sucks. Frequent outages are the norm here. 🙁 Worst "cable" service we've ever had. Comcrap, with all their issues, was, IMO, light-years ahead of Wave for service and uptime.

yup, lucky to get 1 bar here. i also work from home for a few years now, so switched to pre-paid plan and buy old model phones as its not worth it to pay for a plan or buy new model phones.

 

[mcurphy]

I'm following an opposite trend than most. I reintroduced the land line to my life as the primary form of communication.

I had a cell (no landline) from 1998 to 2007.

I got tired of the expensive cell bills, so I dropped my cell plan altogether for a land line through my cable company. For only $30 per month, I get free long distance and unlimited calling. And it's always crystal clear, no dropped calls.

I have not owned a cell phone since 2007, and I am happy with that. I think there has been maybe 6 times in the past 7+ years that I have actually needed a cell phone. In that case, I was always able to find someone else that had one, and used their phone to make a call. I just can't justify the cost of a monthly cell phone bill to what I would actually use the thing for.

I have a phone on my desk at work that I can use to call home if needed, and I have a phone at home to call whoever when needed.

I just don't NEED to make calls when I am getting gas, out for dinner, at the grocery store, etc...

 

[NutBucket]

I contend a land line is not digital phone.

Land line means POTS....

 

[pontifex]

I'm following an opposite trend than most. I reintroduced the land line to my life as the primary form of communication.

I had a cell (no landline) from 1998 to 2007.

I got tired of the expensive cell bills, so I dropped my cell plan altogether for a land line through my cable company. For only $30 per month, I get free long distance and unlimited calling. And it's always crystal clear, no dropped calls.

I have not owned a cell phone since 2007, and I am happy with that. I think there has been maybe 6 times in the past 7+ years that I have actually needed a cell phone. In that case, I was always able to find someone else that had one, and used their phone to make a call. I just can't justify the cost of a monthly cell phone bill to what I would actually use the thing for.

I have a phone on my desk at work that I can use to call home if needed, and I have a phone at home to call whoever when needed.

I just don't NEED to make calls when I am getting gas, out for dinner, at the grocery store, etc...

thats why i use prepaid. $10 every 3 months, unless i do end up using it more. it was like $540 a year just on cell phone bill and i barely used it. now its $40 a year, lol.

 

[SunnyD]

Real VOIP (non-Skype/MagicCrap/Vonage) counts, so I'm saying yes. 4 lines of it.

 

[Iron Woode]

I have a dry loop DSL connection with a VOIP phone. I don't use it but the other people in the house do.

Unfortunately, my ATA seems pooched. We had a power outage last week and it hasn't been working properly since. Just makes a dial tone with a clicking sound if you try to dial out. Strangely, it still takes incoming calls. I've been battling it for the last two days. Like the cherry on top of the shit sundae that has been this past week.

which voip provider?

sounds like the settings in the ATA got messed up.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I've always had one though as of a year ago it's through FTTH service, so it will die after about 8 or so hours if the power goes out. An outage that long is pretty rare though. Last time it happened was during the "great blackout" many years back. The main advantage of copper is you get power from the CO practically forever even if the power goes out. Though the benefits of fibre outweigh the benefits of copper by a long shot both for the telco and the end user. I would not go back to copper, and if I was starting a telco, I would not even deploy any copper.

If the land line actually cost a lot more than not having one, I'd probably consider going without, but it is nice to have a "home phone" AND a cell. I give the home phone number to utilities and other companies as my "main" number. In fact I mostly usually give that number out to companies, and my cell is mostly for family. My alarm company has my cell though as they'll try to reach me if there's a break in, fire, water in basement etc.

 

[moonbogg]

I no has landline. I has iphone for talk and fios for rest.

 

[CPA]

i have dsl. ($25/month)
must have landline. ($20/mnth for minimal plan)
wished there was a cheaper alternative.

fios is more expensive.
don't need the extra speed

Have you asked about naked DSL?

I still have a landline because I don't answer my cellphone, if I even have it on me. If you want to get ahold of me, leave a message on my landline and I'll get back to you (I screen all landline calls). I rarely pick up my cellphone calls and don't even know my cell mailbox password - lol.