Home Phone Cell Phone or Both?

[MUDSHARK]

Has anyone disconnected their Home phone and just went the cell phone route? I have been thinking that the Landline phone may no longer be necessary. The fax might be one drawback, any others?

 

[Vart]

I have been using only a cell phone for almost 8 years now. Never once have I ever wished I still had a land line.

 

[majorloser]

After all the hurricanes I've live through in Florida, I want both. In many places the land lines were down, but in many places the only form of communication was Verizon. Nextel (No-Tel) and Cingular had horrible service. After Wilma hit South Florida many of the main telephone trunk lines/poles were down and there was no telephones.

Even the couple hurricanes that passed by us here in Central Florida took out my phones for a few days. And my neighborhood has all underground cables. But in some areas many of the cell towers were down and there was no cell phones. It just depended on how lucky you were. (or if you were unlucky enough to have Next-Hell)

But I also use DSL for the internet.

 

[MinusTheBear]

Has anyone disconnected their Home phone and just went the cell phone route? I have been thinking that the Landline phone may no longer be necessary. The fax might be one drawback, any others?

I had only a cell phone at university and have not looked back since. I prefer the cellphone for obvious convenience needs and I am in no need for a second line. I also do not like Bell Canada and would rather spend my money elsewhere.

 

[j_garcia]

My home phone basically is only there due to my DSL and is more or less not used. I take all calls on my cell. My brother has no land line.

 

[Halon451]

I keep a land line, and have often questioned myself as to why. I do have fax capability, so that's one reason, maybe the other is just so I can have something to gripe about when those vulture telemarketing agencies contact my house even though I'M ON THE DO NOT CALL REGISTRY!

 

[aberkowitz]

No landlines here either. I think we'll get one once we have kids, if only for the easy purpose of calling 911 without having to fumble around to find out where the cell phones were last left.

 

[Jack Hammer]

I haven't had a land line for over 6 years. It's never really been a problem, especially with free nights and weekends. I say just have a cell phone, but make sure you select a minute package that gives you enough talk time.

Jack

 

[mike c]

are your cellphone connections as crystal clear as landlines? i hate cellphones because of the "less than landline" sound quality

 

[Jack Hammer]

are your cellphone connections as crystal clear as landlines? i hate cellphones because of the "less than landline" sound quality

I'm in the city and coverage really isn't an issue for me. I rarely if ever have sq issues. In fact my phone is too quiet, if the person I'm talking too isn't making any noise, I can't tell if I'm still connected without looking at the phone or asking if their still there. Never thought I'd miss static.

Jack

 

[Matt34]

We were without a landline for a number of years until my wife's grandmother moved in. Now we have one for her, she doesn't like cell phones, thinks they're the devil.

 

[Pyrrho]

Has anyone disconnected their Home phone and just went the cell phone route? I have been thinking that the Landline phone may no longer be necessary. The fax might be one drawback, any others?

In my case, a home phone comes with my DSL. And it is packaged such that I can call as much long distance (in the continental U.S.) as I want for no extra charge. This has affected the cell phone that I selected, as I now have a cell phone that basically costs me $0.10 per minute (prepaid), with no monthly fees at all. So, when I am home, I use my home phone, but have a cell phone for when I am out and about. Typically, I leave the cell phone off, unless I am expecting a call from someone I want to talk with, or, or course, when I want to make a call. I have a cell phone for my convenience, not for the convenience of others to be able to bother me whenever and wherever I am.

The downside is, of course, that I have two numbers instead of one. Or perhaps that is an upside, depending on what one wants.

 

[markw]

One benefit to a POTS line is that it will work when power goes out, assuing you're using a plain-jane telephone with no bells and whistles. A wireless won't work (duh!) but a normal, cheapo plug-in phone will.

As for power outages, a cell phone is only good as long as it's charge holds out. Hopefully, cell towers have their own power backup in times of blackout.

 

[10010011]

Only problem I have seen with this is.

The one time there was a huge local emergency (Pipeline explosion) all the cellphones were jammed. They were even pleading on the local radio for people so stop using their cellphones so the police and fire departments could use them to coordinate efforts.

Granted a natural disaster like a huge storm the exact opposite could happen if enough lines were brought down.

For now I will keep both and would give up the cellphone first.

 

[Pyrrho]

One benefit to a POTS line is that it will work when power goes out, assuing you're using a plain-jane telephone with no bells and whistles. A wireless won't work (duh!) but a normal, cheapo plug-in phone will.

As for power outages, a cell phone is only good as long as it's charge holds out. Hopefully, cell towers have their own power backup in times of blackout.

Yes, that is a real benefit. In my case, with my fiber optic phone connection, the phone company installed a battery backup for the system to work in a power outage. With the old fashioned phone lines, no such thing is needed, as the phone uses its own power from the phone line, not from one's other home power.

 

[dorokusai]

I haven't had a home phone in almost 15 years....but then again, I work for Verizon Wireless, and Sprint PCS/Nextel before that.

I have no idea why you would bother anymore aside from the tie in with an alarm system perhaps. I've never lost power and felt compelled to notify relatives that I'm without power.

That being said, POTS lines are awesome for when I drop cell sites for routine or unscheduled maintenance, since I'm sometimes on fringe sites. I use Sprint as a backup....hows that for poetic justice?

Mark
Polk Audio CS

 

[Sheep]

I only have a land line. I have never owned a cell phone, and don't plan on it.

SheepStar