slo’s FRIDAY 8/19 poll - Landline

[amylevan]

We have one as part of our cable/internet package and it would actually increase our price to drop it. So we have it, and since we do, I do use it as it is easier to talk on.

That said, I’m not opposed to dropping it if the packages change or we dropped cable.

 

[E&Cmom]

Still have ours. We have considered getting rid of it but haven’t yet.

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

We still have our landline and I would really like to get rid of it mainly due to the constant telemarketing calls. Our family members call us on it, but I'm sure we can just tell them to start using our cells. It really isn't expensive for us, as it's bundled with our DirectTV/AT&T wi-fi, satellite and home phone billing. I believe the landline portion of the bundled bill is about $30/month with caller ID. Something to think about, for sure.

Best wishes to you @slo and your daughter on her move to college.

 

[design_mom]

We still have one. It's bundled with our cable and internet, and we wouldn't save a lot by dropping it. (Without it, you have to purchase the other services individually and my husband isn't ready to 'cut the cord' on cable yet.) For the most part, all we get are spam calls on it but at least they (mostly) aren't going to our cell phones.

 

[_19disnA]

Still have a landline since it part of the cable TV package. Seems to be the one thing that always works even when the power goes out. We don't answer it if we don't know the caller. Friends/relatives have our cell phone #'s to use when they want to speak with us. The only calls we tend to get are telemarketers (those extended car warranties seem to be the latest craze) or someone running some sort of scam. They never leave a message since they realize no one is dumb enough to call them back.

 

[HopperFan]

Would have gotten rid of it a decade ago
- we did turn off all the ringers and only DH used for conference calls
- but the number was the same forwards and backwards,
and we thought that was cool.

We cut cable so the phone just went with it.

 

[Aladora]

We ditched the landline years ago, DS is 17 and I don't think he has even experienced having one. Cells only for us.

 

[AppleDumpling]

We still have it for a number of reasons. We have a package deal, so it costs very little, and have caller ID, so we can screen calls.

I agree with pp that especially if you’re on a long call, it’s more comfortable using a traditional telephone receiver (I hate speaker phone). Also, I can be on the phone with someone, and at the same time, use my cell phone to look things up or otherwise multi-task.

 

[tvguy]

My landline is still my primary phone. It is the only phone number I give out. My cell phone is my emergency phone. My wife, son, daughter and daughter in law are the only ones with that number.

But my primary reason for getting a cell phone back in 1990 was to have a second phone number that I did not give out. I worked graveyard shift and slept 9 am to 5 pm during the day. I got tired of getting woken up by phone calls during the day, so I got the cell phone. When I went to bed, I turned off the ringer on the landline, and put the volume on the answer machine to zero, and turn on the cell phone. That way I could sleep undisturbed, but still could be reached by those who truly might need to wake me up in an emergency. My bosses knew they could call me ANYTIME and leave a message and that I would return the call when I got up at 5 pm. They also knew they could call my wife at work and have her call me on the cell phone if there was a reason they needed to speak to me immediately. That never happened, leaving a message and waiting until I got up to call back always got everything handled.
My wife has a cell phone too, and the same situation, nobody gets that number, just the landline. And to be honest, a year into retirement we are considering getting rid of both cell phones and getting one pay as you go phone for travel as we are never apart anymore. The landline will remain our primary phone.

 

[scbruno]

We still have it as part of our cable package otherwise we would get rid of it.

 

[RedAngie]

Would have gotten rid of it a decade ago
- we did turn off all the ringers and only DH used for conference calls
- but the number was the same forwards and backwards,
and we thought that was cool.

We cut cable so the phone just went with it.

My uncle had a palindrome phone number too. 365-7563.

 

[cats mom]

Other - we have one as part of our internet/cable package.
We'd get rid of it if we could save money doing so, but unless we switch everything up, not an option with the package we have.
The crazy thing is we don't have a phone connected to the line, in fact, I have no idea what our landline # is.

 

[MillauFr]

There are probably a few members here who need their landline so their 56k dial up modem can connect to AOL.

 

[mumto3girls]

We have our landline still and I’m guessing I always will. I sometimes have trouble making/receiving calls on my cell inside the house so I think the landline would be better in an emergency. Like a previous poster I often use the landline while I am looking stuff up or scheduling on my cell. My dad also uses the landline although in recent years it seems that he calls the cell first and then the landline.

 

[tvguy]

There are probably a few members here who need their landline so their 56k dial up modem can connect to AOL.

Some Fiber Optic internet providers still use the landline to connect your house to the Fiber Hub. The landline doesn't necessarily need to be activated, but that copper phone line is this how you are connected.

 

[_19disnA]

I also find the quality of the sound is better on a landline. If you are on a cell phone talking with someone who is also on a cell phone, words tend to drop out unpredictably or you simply lose connection. It is annoying having a conversation when you can only hear every 3rd word. Cell phones are portable and convenient, but the lack of consistent sound quality is annoying.

 

[CdnCarrie]

For those saying it’s easier to talk on landline why not use cell phone on speaker. Then you’re not holding anything.

We got rid of our landline about 5 years ago.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Got rid of it a few years ago... the only reason we had one for a while was that the internet package/cable tv package we had was actually cheaper to include a phone than without. Ended up just unplugging the phone because it was just a bunch of telemarketers and collectors looking for the last person who had that phone number.

 

[Drewsdad]

Still got it. After an ice storm with no power for days we still had phone service.

 

[barkley]

still have it/not getting rid of it. cell service is spotty at best in our neighborhood, landline is reliable so in an emergency i prefer it and as others have pointed out-911 can immediately identify our exact location.