Should I Ditch My Land-based Home Phone?

Walker1

How many out there still have a land line phone? I pay pay $40.00 a month and we seem to never use it. The wife and kids all have cell phones.

Just seems like a waste of money anymore. For some odd reason I cant seem to cancel it. Call me old school...lol

angus242

I ditched land lines in 2001 and haven't looked back. If you want a land line for smiles & giggles, think about something like MagicJack. It's like $20/year.

On the down side, you need internet access and a computer running at all times for it to work.

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Chris G

Haven't had a land line since 2001 too.

If I'm worried about long distance charges, I use Skype. About 2 cents a minute I think.

It's also really handy when your cell phone rings in another room while you're surfing on your laptop. You let it go to voicemail, and then call your cell with Skype and pick up the message. YOu never have to leave the couch!!

C'mon, tell me you guys haven't done it.....

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Heritage

I have a business land line for the office but not one for home, it would be useless.

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mickey69125

I still have a land line. My cell phone is a local call to one town I work in and my land line is a local call to another town. Don't ask me why that is cause I don't know. So I keep that land line basically for an answering machine and fax.

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jarvis design

I switched from a business land line to cell a couple of years ago - Would've done it sooner, but, you used to have to have a land line to get listed in the yellow pages - but not anymore!

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Walker1

Thanks Angus for the info on MagicJack..$20.00 a year is much better then $40 a month...

Our computer is on 24/7 cable hook up....

Now I have to talk the wife into it..lol

Warren

We have been considering the same thing. About two years ago, we switched home phone to a minimum plan that costs about $15/month. Still, we only use it for less than 1 hr per month. When we redo our cell contract in August, we are going to get rid of it totally.

concretemasonry

I dropped my landline in favor of $9.98 (plus tax) for a third cell phone. It is only my wife and I. We take it with us when we travel, but it never rings.

Now after a year, I looked at the usage and I am going to drop the 3rd cell since everyone calls on our personal cells. Between friends with T-Mobile and favorites our chargeable minutes are low. It does get pricey for international calls, but I am sure I can find a way around that.

I knew it was coming, but did not realize it was comming so fast. I now have to figure out a way around the Comcast costs since I do not have a packaged rate.

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Dick

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curapa

We haven't had a land line since about 03'. I have noticed many of my customers have ditched the land lines also.

I say ditch it.

I believe you can still dial 911 with the phone plugged in without actual service, but I may be mistaken.

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Walker1

I think one of the reasons I have a hard time canceling it is because I had the same number since 1986...lol..even though most of our family and friends call us now on our cell numbers.

Kyras

Problem with all that is faxes. Yeah, I need to send and receive. That's all the land line gets used for.

We Fix Houses

If you've gotten this far you can manage voip. You need to get one simple ATA (analog telephone adapter) device for about $60. Then port your number to a top voip provider....not Vonage !!!

I don't use my LL much either. I switched to www.callcentric.com about 5 yrs ago. Top notch email support from actual IT eng's.

I pay about $7 / month on the pay per minute plan. I keep my phone number, get 911 service and dirt cheap long distance if I need. Post again if you have any questions.

Here's where we hang out http://www.dslreports.com/forum/voip

http://www.dslreports.com/gbu

Btw - you can't count on faxing with voip so you'll need one of these http://www.faxprices.com/ if you choose - or scan and email is what I do.

I can fax a few free at https://faxzero.com/

Or create a free www.boxnet.com acct - upload and (send only) fax for free using their fax utility.

Tinstaafl

My cell (Verizon) works great practically everywhere but my house.

Mostly at the behest of wife & kids, I pay the cable porker for high speed internet, but they're on permanent probation as far as I'm concerned. Wired telephone has been around for nearly as long as electric, and in my experience is even more dependable.

I'll be sticking with landline for now.

PrecisionFloors

Try E-fax. I have an all in one printer but never use the fax. e-fax is so much easier and saves paper to boot.

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soma

I ended up giving up my VOIP/Vonage, landline, and now have Googlevoice. You can manage the calls much better. I downloaded the ap to my blackberry, you dont run up the minutes, and get translated messages sent to the blackberry. Best part is the cost for the service......0.00

Kyras

My house used to be on one of the seams between cells. You had to hold your mouth just right or it would drop. It's better now.

Winchester

MyFax something like $10/month

Send and receive faxes through email. I ditched my fax line as soon as I found out about it. My fax line was around $25/month

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Ryan

J DoubleD FLoor

Big fan of Magic Jack. Been using it a couple years now .... gotta love 19.95 a year unlimited local and long distance.

Plus when I go on vacation I can take it with me and it's a local call for everyone at home still.

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Walker1

Could you fax through Magic Jack..