Do You Have a Land Line?

[Gugny]

I have one and I use it daily.  Cordless phone, based in the kitchen and a corded phone in the basement in the event of an extended power outage.

[qwksilver]

Dropped our land line about 2 years ago. All the friends, family, and work call the cell. Mostly telemarketers called land line. We eventually didn't even look at the phone to see who was calling. Easy decision, should have done it years earlier.

[Blokestradamus]

Mine comes with the broadband deal. Seems quite antiquated but them's the rules.

 

Don't particularly use it but it's a useful backup plan if my phone ever has an issue.

[YoloinOhio]

Yes it’s part of my internet bundle or whatever. That’s the # i use if I don’t want to give out my cell. I use it when I need to make a call and I want my cell phone available. I check the voice mail about once/week 

[Punching Bag]

I find sound quality when it works better than my cell but I do not spend $160 a month for cell service and a phone which needs a car sized loan to buy.

Unfortunately Verizon land line does not have good quality and it is often "busy" when it is not. It is part of our FIOS package and we are considering removing it but in past when we removed something (channels, tuner, etc) they would raise prices and we know from comparing with others with similar packages it is not "universal" as they claim.

[Nextmanup]

Got rid of mine probably 10 years ago.  I realized there was no need for it and I don't need 2 phone bills.

 

 

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

Like the other posters above, it comes free with the cell/internet.

[The Senator]

.

Huh?

 

What in the world is this thing you call “land line”?

 

Just kidding - I dumped my land line some years ago when I retired from the working world in 2012. I just don’t see the need to be available 24x7, nor to pay Verizon twice.

 

 

[ChevyVanMiller]

3 hours ago, Blokestradamus said:

Mine comes with the broadband deal. Seems quite antiquated but them's the rules.

 

Don't particularly use it but it's a useful backup plan if my phone ever has an issue.

If it's Spectrum you can have it removed from the package and save $10 per month. I was told by my rep that it had to be part of the deal, but I asked for a supervisor and found out that, like most things in life, it's negotiable.

[Ned Flanders]

We have one and I'm glad we do, because someone recently called on it and alerted me that my car warranty was about to expire!

 

Seriously, my wife keeps the books and she tells me it's cheaper, with the deal we have with Verizon, to have a landline.  She's pretty meticulous with the cashflow, so I know this is true, but it's really nothing more than an ornament in the kitchen.

Edited February 6, 2021 by Ned Flanders

[WhoTom]

We have an Ooma (VoIP) device. The service is free, but we have to pay the FCC fees (~$5/mo). It's funny that we used to get our Internet via the phone lines, and now we get our phone via the Internet.

 

We hardly ever use our cell phones, so we have dirt-cheap pay-as-you-go plans, which cost us each about $8-10/month, depending on usage. The landline keeps the cell costs down and significantly reduces the number of people who know my cell #. 

 

 

[EmotionallyUnstable]

If yes, please post your number to prove it

[Augie]

5 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

Yes it’s part of my internet bundle or whatever. That’s the # i use if I don’t want to give out my cell. I use it when I need to make a call and I want my cell phone available. I check the voice mail about once/week 

 

That’s our deal. Almost went to the effort of getting rid of it because of all the robocalls, but something changed there (some legislation?) and those have dried up or moved to my cell. (NO, I do NOT need your extended car warranty!!!) Change from AT&T to Spectrum cut the cost drastically. 

 

It was a HUGE issue for a while when our cell reception was terrible but our internet was too weak for an extender. My wife would have calls with hundreds of people on it and she’d have to go sit in the Starbucks parking lot for a good connection. AT&T certainly let us down leading to the change. 

 

My sister has a friend who keeps the landline just to call her cell when she can’t find it. Haha

 

.

Edited February 6, 2021 by Augie

[T&C]

3 hours ago, Ned Flanders said:

We have one and I'm glad we do, because someone recently called on it and alerted me that my car warranty was about to expire!

 

Seriously, my wife keeps the books and she tells me it's cheaper, with the deal we have with Verizon, to have a landline.  She's pretty meticulous with the cashflow, so I know this is true, but it's really nothing more than an ornament in the kitchen.

Exact same thing here. It rings once in awhile but we never answer it, I don't think either of us know the number off of memory... its just there, a stagnant piece of nothing.

[TBBills]

Landline? Like fishing line for land fishing?

[UConn James]

5 hours ago, ChevyVanMiller said:

If it's Spectrum you can have it removed from the package and save $10 per month. I was told by my rep that it had to be part of the deal, but I asked for a supervisor and found out that, like most things in life, it's negotiable.

We just do Internet with Spectrum ($53/month), and I have antennas for over-the-air broadcast for teevee. The Spectrum Mobile is $18/mo per line and is a separate entity from Spectrum, seemingly. Good enough for me and I don’t see it changing. 

But yeah, the price for the bundling is cheaper for whatever reason if you bundle the three than just bundle cable & internet. Seems contrary to logic, but there it is. Nice to know that it’s negotiable tho.

 

I mean, I read awhile back that landlines were being necessarily phased out, but 🤷🏻‍♂️ it doesn’t seem like the companies are in a hurry.

Edited February 7, 2021 by UConn James

[Not at the table Karlos]

Have one but haven’t used it in about 2 years. Get about 75 calls a day from scammers 

[UConn James]

Business Insider: Landlines predicted obsolete by 2020 in 2018.

 

I’ve read other ones saying landlines will be phased out by 2025.
 

It may be a good idea for the industry to keep the infrastructure in case of future problems / as a backup / for national security reasons (like HAM radio still has a purpose if telecom goes down / is attacked), but the cost disparity of maintaining lines, advancing technology and such makes it headed for death for the consumer market.

Edited February 7, 2021 by UConn James

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Part of my bundle too. I can’t get rid of it, or else my bill will go Up.
 

Never use it. Probably has about 1000 voicemails From spam callers on it that I have never checked. 

[Gugny]

12 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

Yes it’s part of my internet bundle or whatever. That’s the # i use if I don’t want to give out my cell. I use it when I need to make a call and I want my cell phone available. I check the voice mail about once/week 

 

My phone has an answering machine.

[CowgirlsFan]

No.

We have Spectrum for the internet.

Direct TV.

We have the Senior Plan with TMOBILE.

[US Egg]

Will have a land line until they rip it out of my cold dead hands.

 

.....but I don't have a gun.

[Johnny Hammersticks]

22 hours ago, Gugny said:

I have one and I use it daily.  Cordless phone, based in the kitchen and a corded phone in the basement in the event of an extended power outage.

 

Do you also have a VHS player and take supper in the veranda sitting on your davenport wearing dungarees?

[Gugny]

33 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

Do you also have a VHS player and take supper in the veranda sitting on your davenport wearing dungarees?

 

What kind of a woodchuck do you think I am?  The VCR is in the parlor next to the Be Kind, Rewind machine.

[Johnny Hammersticks]

2 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

What kind of a woodchuck do you think I am?  The VCR is in the parlor next to the Be Kind, Rewind machine.

 

Right near the TV that works on top of the TV that does not work?

[WotAGuy]

Not since 2001. Cell phone only since. 

[davefan66]

Yep.  Need it for our house alarm to call out to emergency services.  Plus the wife likes having it, feels someone won’t be able to reach us if we don’t have it.  

 

Not cheap, probably $40/month on spectrum. Not sure what my internet cost would be without it.  Can go cellular for the alarm, $300-400 install fee and $5/month for service.

 

She goes crazy wondering who it is now that the scammers spoof our exchange.  Told her anyone we know that matters has one, or both of our cell’s.  Still doesn’t compute.

 

 

[UConn James]

I mean... I would say the number of folks who have landline JUST so they can call their own cell phone to find it has got to be a very high percentage.

 

My dad is ALWAYS losing his phone. Doesn’t put it in a consistent spot, piles all kinds of shizz on top of it (coats, hunting magazines, newspapers, etc.), or forgets it in the car. Every time, he threatens to throw it out into the lake. 🤦🏻‍♂️ #OldManSyndrome

Edited February 8, 2021 by UConn James

[Nextmanup]

On 2/7/2021 at 10:00 AM, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

Do you also have a VHS player and take supper in the veranda sitting on your davenport wearing dungarees?

 

"Dungarees" is a word my mother has used all my life.  She is now 84.

 

Another great and similar word she uses is "slacks."

 

"Put on your dress slacks, we're going to church."

 

LOL!

 

 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

18 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

 

"Dungarees" is a word my mother has used all my life.  She is now 84.

 

Another great and similar word she uses is "slacks."

 

"Put on your dress slacks, we're going to church."

 

LOL!

 

 

 

Yup, dungarees was my grandma.  She’s 92 now.  I feel like “slacks” is a term that is still used to describe dress pants.  When my son has to dress up for something, we tell him to put on his dress pants or khakis.

[Chef Jim]

A what???  So the answer is no.  But guess what I DO have. 

 

We pay for one because it comes with our cable/internet deal but don't have one.  I don't even have one at the office.  All calls done via zoom.  I guess that's a land line but I don't have a phone.  Just a laptop and a blue tooth earpiece.  

[Augie]

On 2/7/2021 at 10:37 AM, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

Right near the TV that works on top of the TV that does not work?

 

The extra height helps the rabbit ears get a better signal so he can pick up all three channels. 

 

I remember having a milkman (I’m told I look a lot like him), and my mother had ice delivered to the house. But that happened over many decades. With the pace of change now I can’t even imaging what things will look like when my son is my age. 

[Augie]

1 hour ago, Nextmanup said:

 

"Dungarees" is a word my mother has used all my life.  She is now 84.

 

Another great and similar word she uses is "slacks."

 

"Put on your dress slacks, we're going to church."

 

LOL!

 

 

 

When our son was young we should have told him that EVERY time! One Sunday we get to church and start piling out of the car to head in. There are awkward sounds from the backseat. Not only had he not put on “dress slacks”, he had on nothing but his boxers. He won that day, no church......

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

On 2/6/2021 at 5:16 PM, EmotionallyUnstable said:

If yes, please post your number to prove it

867-5309

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

the “land line” is much more cost efficient because my wife talks to her aunt in Scotland for hours at a time.  
 

cell rates for international are bonkers 

yes I know you can Skype and FB video  and whats App 

the extra data is the same cost as LD landline 📞 

[Just Jack]

13 hours ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:

867-5309

 

I've heard, haven't tried it, that if you're in a store that has a rewards program that you're not a member of, use that number because someone probably signed up using it. 

[Beerball]

On 2/6/2021 at 11:29 AM, Gugny said:

I have one and I use it daily.  Cordless phone, based in the kitchen and a corded phone in the basement in the event of an extended power outage.

baseball fan

landline

electric smoker

 

 

 

It's all starting to make sense.

[BuffaloBill]

Finally got the wifey to break loose of that waste of money when we moved last year. We also finally cut the cord with the move.

[ExiledInIllinois]

Yes.  In a power failure, landlines don't usually go out AND emergency, all cells will be jammed since most use that now. 

 

It's a good safety feature... Preparedness.   You can always hack it to charge stuff:

 

 

On 2/11/2021 at 6:34 PM, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:

the “land line” is much more cost efficient because my wife talks to her aunt in Scotland for hours at a time.  
 

cell rates for international are bonkers 

yes I know you can Skype and FB video  and whats App 

the extra data is the same cost as LD landline 📞 

Yeah.  But call one state over and it's through roof the toll charges on lamdline!  I am under 10 miles from Indiana border... Don't dare call a 1(219) area code from my landline! 😉😉

[ExiledInIllinois]

On 2/6/2021 at 8:23 PM, UConn James said:

Business Insider: Landlines predicted obsolete by 2020 in 2018.

 

I’ve read other ones saying landlines will be phased out by 2025.
 

It may be a good idea for the industry to keep the infrastructure in case of future problems / as a backup / for national security reasons (like HAM radio still has a purpose if telecom goes down / is attacked), but the cost disparity of maintaining lines, advancing technology and such makes it headed for death for the consumer market.

At work... We had a radio system... Repeaters,  etc... All tore out.  You're right.   There needs to be redundancy.   In a national emergency,  we are pretty much screwed with cell service.