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Do you still have a landline? Why? Why not?


Augie

Do you still have a landline?  

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  1. 1. Do you still have a landline



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Do you still have a landline? I’ve been thinking about this for a while, and my wife brought up ditching the home phone just last night after yet another robocall. I average 4-6 robocalls/day and they seem to be getting worse. I don’t need a car warranty, I don’t have any federal student loans and I don’t need a lower interest rate on my credit cards. Half the time there isn’t even anything on the other end, just silence. I block the numbers, but I don’t think that even slows them down. 

 

For us it’s not the cost (but that IS is a real thing), just the annoyance of robocalls. We still have the home phone for two reasons. We can call our cell phone if we can’t find it (very rare) and it will tell emergency services where we are if we ever need to call 911 (has NEVER happened, and hope it never will, but....)

 

It’s gotten to the point that legit calls come in (very rarely) and I start out with a nasty, disgusted  tone until I realize it’s real and someone I need.

 

How about you?  

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2 minutes ago, teef said:

we do but it's not even hooked up.  i think it was one of those deals with spectrum where it would cost more if we didn't get it.  

 

You could be missing an important fax while you sit around listening to your 8 track tapes! 

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23 minutes ago, Augie said:

Do you still have a landline? I’ve been thinking about this for a while, and my wife brought up ditching the home phone just last night after yet another robocall. I average 4-6 robocalls/day and they seem to be getting worse. I don’t need a car warranty, I don’t have any federal student loans and I don’t need a lower interest rate on my credit cards. Half the time there isn’t even anything on the other end, just silence. I block the numbers, but I don’t think that even slows them down. 

 

For us it’s not the cost (but that IS is a real thing), just the annoyance of robocalls. We still have the home phone for two reasons. We can call our cell phone if we can’t find it (very rare) and it will tell emergency services where we are if we ever need to call 911 (has NEVER happened, and hope it never will, but....)

 

It’s gotten to the point that legit calls come in (very rarely) and I start out with a nasty, disgusted  tone until I realize it’s real and someone I need.

 

How about you?  

....yup...packaged up with my Spectrum cable and internet......only use it where where phone number is required......machine grabs nuisance messages when I do not want to give out my cell....

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3 minutes ago, teef said:

nothing infuriates me more than watching tv, to see the called id come up as complete spam.

 

“Call from....then read out the entire ten digit number”. It seems like it lasts forever! I want to throw a shoe at the TV......but I’m pretty sure that’s a bad idea. So far I have refrained. 

2 minutes ago, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

....yup...packaged up with my Spectrum cable and internet......only use it where where phone number is required......machine grabs nuisance messages when I do not want to give out my cell....

 

Our is part of a package too. I find 90%+ do not leave a message. Heck, about 50% there is absolutely NOTHING on the other end if I decide to pick it up. 

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4 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

“Call from....then read out the entire ten digit number”. It seems like it lasts forever! I want to throw a shoe at the TV......but I’m pretty sure that’s a bad idea. So far I have refrained. 

 

Our is part of a package too. I find 90%+ do not leave a message. Heck, about 50% there is absolutely NOTHING on the other end if I decide to pick it up. 

 

 

....their software weeds out the expected spam....and I can block phone numbers......despite efforts to stop their calls, the effin' Red Cross calls constantly for my kids who no longer live with me as well as for my late wife and mother.....beyond obnoxious.....

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We have one but have never made a call on it nor picked up a call in 10 years or so, it rings once in awhile. Only reason we have it is that she works out of the house for Hilton so it is necessary for hooking up to the computer... why and how I don't know and don't care but we have to have it for that. Its just a thing here really.

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6 minutes ago, T&C said:

We have one but have never made a call on it nor picked up a call in 10 years or so, it rings once in awhile. Only reason we have it is that she works out of the house for Hilton so it is necessary for hooking up to the computer... why and how I don't know and don't care but we have to have it for that. Its just a thing here really.

 

Once in a while??? I want that! How can that be? I swear we get 4-6 robocalls daily! They start right after 9:00am, then get heavy around dinner time.  I should have included how many robocalls do you get! It’s maddening. I’m surprised the phone carriers have not lobbied HARD to shut this down. It’s the ONLY reason I’m considering dropping a home phone. 

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We have the Spectrum cable/Internet/telephone combo. The telephone gets mostly spam calls, and calls from some older family members.  All other calls are on the cell phones.  I’m not sure why we have it, except that it’s been our home phone number for 35 years. 

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ObiTalk 200: $70 on Amazon

Google Voice: Free

 

No monthly phone bill

Free long distance

Free voicemail

Free texting

Unknown callers are greeted by "Please state your name for the Google Voice subscriber" before connecting.  This trips up most robo-dialers and telemarketing call centers

 

Sure the NSA and Google are listening, but so are your land line providers

Edited by /dev/null
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30 minutes ago, RaoulDuke79 said:

Yes.....because its bundled into our cable plan. Rarely answer it because it's 99% telemarketers. 

 

Does it not drive you crazy???

 

Maybe that’s just me, but I’m fed up with it! 

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1 hour ago, Augie said:

 

Once in a while??? I want that! How can that be? I swear we get 4-6 robocalls daily! They start right after 9:00am, then get heavy around dinner time.  I should have included how many robocalls do you get! It’s maddening. I’m surprised the phone carriers have not lobbied HARD to shut this down. It’s the ONLY reason I’m considering dropping a home phone. 

My only guess is that no one has picked up a call ever on it so maybe the robo folks decided it was a piece of ***** number to call and put it on their own don't call list lol.

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