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Date Posted: 19:33:11 06/05/11 Sun
Author: Martian Barb
Subject: I have a question....

My husand and son are both trying to convice me to get rid of our land line phone and just keep our cell phones. We have cable internet and our cable tv but we don't get any of the premium channels...HBO, Showtime, etc. We figure that we can save almost $200./month just by doing this. My son wants us to subscribe to just basic cable, keep the internet and use the cell phones. He said that we can subscribe to Hulu.com and Netflix cheaper than the cable expanded basic.

Has anyone done all of this? We do get a really good deal on our cell phones since we are on my son's plan and he works for Verizon Wireless. Our land line isn't that expensive either. But I am jsut not too sure that I want to give up my land line. so many people have my phone number and I can't use my cell phone at work because the signal is horrible.

Any suggestions. I am just so very confused.

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Replies:

[> I'll never give up my landline. I don't want to have to carry my cell phone all over the house in case I get a call. And I hate the sound quality of cell phones. If someone calls my cell phone while I'm at home, and it is actually on, and I actually hear it, I tell them to call me back on my landline. LOL I also like being able to fax from home, which is very important given DH's employment status (or lack thereof). Inside -- JJ (Ronda)--doesn't your phone company have some sort of basic service that is dirt cheap?, 20:28:51 06/05/11 Sun [1]

I also have all kinds of notifications set up on my cell phone, and if it is beeping all night long from emails and Facebook posts, how am I supposed to sleep? LOL I know you can turn all those notifications off, but I want them on during the day. I'm not going to the trouble of turning them on and off every day, so the cell phone stays at the other end of the house while I sleep.

I take it you don't have an alarm system that needs a phone line. That's another reason why I have to keep mine.

But if you DO get rid of your landline, make sure you keep at least one corded phone for emergency calls. They HAVE to put 911 calls through, even if you don't have service. And it is always better to call 911 from a landline so they have your exact address without having to ask you for it. And you want your emergency phone to be corded, because if the power is out, so is your cordless phone.

As for your TV programs, be aware that not everything is available on hulu and netflix. You might want to make sure your favorite programs are there before you do anything drastic!


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[> I would never give up my landline either. The reason is because there are so many instances that you have to give out your phone number and quite frankly I don't want everybody having my cell phone number. For example, I don't want to enter my cell phone online when I am ordering online. I don't want my printed checks to have my cell phone. I don't want to give my cell phone to a third party for them to sell on a list and then be bothered by unsolicited calls. -- Araninda, 21:48:25 06/05/11 Sun [1]


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[> [> Another good point! -- JAG Junkie (Ronda), 03:41:21 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> [> I'm with you - first - anyone who has known us from centuries back can find us with our old landline number we've had for fifteen years. Secondly, I can give that number out to stores (who nowadays all want your phone number at checkout) and not worry about my cell phone number getting around. And lastly in the event some long lost friend or relative wants to find me the old fashioned way- we are listed in the phone book- : ) -- chris k, 05:12:55 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> I too have been struggling with keep or get rid of the land line. So far keeping is winning out, for alot of the reasons mentioned so far. I do have it down to the minimum, just a basic service will caller ID. -- usmgrad, 04:07:09 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> we have a very basic dish network package - I pay 10 dollars and get very little - just enough to keep us entertained - every month someone has a free channel so we'll watch something different. My hubby gets netflix and my son is always watching movies on his laptop with it. so if you don't really watch the 9,000 channels - yeah you can save a lot by downsizing cable. As for the landline. NOPE - same as araninda - when stores have to look me up- landline. inside -- chris k, 05:11:06 06/06/11 Mon [1]

now - if you don't really use your landline you can cut back on services - just the basic phone should be around 20 dollars without call waiting caller id etc.

I pay $10 for the welcome package with dish (save $5 by using my antenna for network tv but my mom pays $15 for network on the dish channels)

I pay $20 through AT&T for dsl

I think I pay $30 for my phone because I have call waiting and caller ID and Call waiting ID. I like to see who's calling and if I don't recognize the name or number- I don't answer.

I have a cheap cordless phone that has an off switch. If the phone rings and I don't recognize the number - I hit off and it stops ringing. THe other person doesn't know it - but I don't have to listen. : )


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[> [> also by using my antenna for local channels I get more than my mother - there are some digital channels that have older tv - I love watching those old shows and those channels aren't on the dish options. -- chris k, 05:15:03 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> Put me in the "Keep the Landline" category!! We have Verizon for local service and we pay $25/month for "local only outgoing calls" and "anywhere incoming calls". We can only call our area code, but anyone can call us from anywhere in the world. We use our cell phones for long distance. PLUS, I keep one "corded" phone. *If* the power goes out, I can still make a call. Even with 4 cell phones in the family, I just feel safer and more prepared with a landline. -- The Chief (I also like having the land line for giving out to stores and such because it's the "house" phone, not one person's phone. It's a bit more anonymous.), 09:43:27 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> [> You have to decide what's important.. We do have cable, but we pay $11/month for "Broadcast" service. It's all the "over-the-air" channels distributed to our area. ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox television (not FOX news), local government channels, some home shopping, PBS. We have internet thru our cable company for another $34/month, so we pay no more than $45/month for both cable tv and internet service. We have NetFlix for $9/month, and pay $120 for 3 cell phones with n'Telos. We've got the cheapest set-up we can get for our area. . -- The Chief - We miss out on some great stuff like Discovery and History channels, but we'll live, 09:51:42 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> My reason for keeping my landline (besides those stated above) is safety: if a loss of electricity knocks out the cell towers, my landline just keeps on ticking. Ithas happened in the past. I guess I should say I have a landline with an old fashioned phone that plugs in rather than wireless. -- TQ, 10:50:13 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> [> Yes, that's my main reason, too. If the electricity is knocked out (easy to do in a storm), then a real phone plugged straight into the wall will still work. Cordless phones won't. -- The Chief, 12:12:22 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> [> Yeah, several years ago, our city had to shut down its entire grid for several hours. Our area was one of last restored and we were without power for about 12 hours. Thanks to our corded landline phone, I was able to talk to my mom (who also had a corded phone) during all of that. -- JAG Junkie (Ronda)--In the event of a broad emergency, cell towers will be overwhelmed., 17:17:11 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> Got rid of my landland line years ago and dont miss it at all. I had no reason to keep it and to me it was a waste of money. My cell is always with me and it was my primary number before hand. If you dont get that many calls on your land line then let it go. -- Lurker, 11:23:55 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> [> my last bit is why do people need 2 numbers unless you need a home fax number? This day and age cutting back on what you spend means the most and I get the most with my Cell. I will say I have Direct TV and use my cell provider for internet. -- Lurker again, 11:27:51 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> [> [> With my kids... I expect them to misplace a phone, forget to charge it, have it on vibrate, or whatever. A landline is a secure, stable, steady back-up. I'd rather spend the $25/month for that than $100/month for fancy TV service. -- The Chief, 12:15:43 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> [> [> [> kids is a good reason to hope other people have landlines - When my son would make plans to go somewhere I'd say call me when you get there from the landline. Oh I'll call from my cell mom- NO I want a family landline where I can see the family name and call you or the parents if I need to - you'd be amazed how many plans fell through -lol -- chris k, 16:59:36 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> [> [> [> [> Very good point Chris! -- JJ (Ronda), 17:18:39 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> [> [> [> [> You can always make sure that the GPS follower for the cells is on and track you kids via the computer but I do see the point. -- Lurker, 18:42:47 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> Well, I did not win this decision today. My husband decided to cancel our land line. I feel like I have lost an old friend. I so agree with everyone about giving out my cell phone. My husband and son may not use the land line, but I do. Inside... -- Martian Barb missing an old friend., 14:02:27 06/06/11 Mon [1]

A couple of weeks ago. Actually it was the night they announced the winner of Dancing with the Stars, we had a major power outage in the northern areas of Pittsburgh. We did not have power for over 12 hours. Anyway, our phone system is a business system and is controlled on this large electronic board in my basement. When the power goes out, the phones also go out. I have my little Princess phone that I had when I was a kid in my living room. It was the ONLY phone that worked for those twelve hours. It was like an old comfortable friend.

Now, if we decide we want the land line back, we'll have a new phone number and possible a new area code. I have had this number for almost 30 years. It was hard to give it up. I have realized it's OK for the TV and other stuff, but I want my land line back. Thanks for your understanding and support.


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[> [> did your husband know you felt this strongly? -- chris k, 17:00:45 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> [> [> Yeah, he knew I felt that strongly about it, but it is his way of saving money. If we every have to give out a phone number for home business, etc. it will be his number that is given. He uses his phone for business, so it makes sense to him to only have a cell number. -- Martian Barb, 10:22:18 06/07/11 Tue [1]


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[> [> Sorry you lost your "old friend". -- JJ (Ronda), 17:21:34 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> [> Are you sure that you will get a new number? Usually there's a clause where you have a few days to change your mind. -- Araninda, 18:02:23 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> [> I have a cell, of course, but I would NEVER get rid of my land line. I hate walking around everywhere with the cell, I often forget to charge it, and if the power goes out...which it does in very windy weather, you can't charge your cell that easily. I also have a wall jack too. Cell phones are easy to lose, and they make you a slave to the darn ringing wherever you are. -- Cece...Must admit, I'd be really cross with my DH if he cancelled ours., 20:00:44 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> [> Sorry about that, MB! I'm still sticking to my guns, too. As for what to tell businesses that want a phone # when you check out, ask if they can process the transaction w/o it. If not, give them the # of a nearby business like a McDonalds or a Walgreens. It's not like they're ever gonna call it, but it will keep them from selling your # to a sales person. -- The Chief - OR, give them their own business # - chances are the younger the check-out clerk, the less likely they are to know the # of the store! LOL, 20:43:30 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> [> [> BTW, I often use the address and landline # for my husband's place of employment when registering for something online that looks a little shady. I wonder how many crazy magazines or weird phone calls they've gotten! LOL -- The Chief, 20:44:41 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> [> I like my land line number that I had for years and some relative and friends only know that number. Therefore, when I extended my cell phone plan and gave up my landline, I requested Verizon to put my landline number as my cell phone number. -- Sunset, 20:52:18 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> Everyone I know who has given up their landline, lives in an apartment or a small house. I can't imagine only having one phone for my entire 2300 square foot house! Inside -- JJ (Ronda), 17:42:04 06/06/11 Mon [1]

I have a smartphone with a big bulky case with a belt clip and there is no way I am wearing that annoying thing all my waking hours! When I'm at work, I just keep just the phone in my pocket. But when I'm at home, I'm usually wearing clothes that don't have pockets, don't have good places to clip a phone, etc. Or I'm doing physical stuff that would make "wearing" a phone awkward, if not impossible.

Nope, not gonna do it. Not if the cell phone is the only option.

On the other hand, MagicJack is an interesting option that is very affordable ($20 per YEAR, I think?). I don't know much about it, but it has a lot of pluses that cell phones don't have, and it's CHEAP!

And there is another one I saw on the news the other day. I can't remember the name, and I think your phone service is over the internet, but the plus is that you can use REAL phones. And that is plural. Multiple, real phones. So that would be a good option for someone with a big house who doesn't want to be tied to a cell phone 24 hours a day. There is an initial outlay for the equipment, but your phone service is practically free after that.

MB, I really think you ought to look at phone service options on the Internet. Maybe something out there could be a happy medium? Although, it may unfortunately be too late to switch your old number to a new, less expensive service.


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[> One thing I didn't see mentioned in the "keep the landline" catagory - 911 emergency calls - if you need to call 911 - even if you need to leave they have your address - not so with all cell phones - you need to give them your location. Trust me - when you need to dial 911 you'll forget your address even if you have lived there for 36 years. -- kleigh, 19:51:49 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> [> I mentioned that very thing inside my first post. But even if you get rid of your landline service, you can keep a landline phone for that purpose. They HAVE to put 911 calls through regardless of whether that phone is connected to a paid-up service. That goes for old cell phones that don't have service too. If the cell phone has a charge, you can call 911 with it. But the landine is still better because 911 will have your address. -- JAG Junkie (Ronda), 20:30:42 06/06/11 Mon [1]


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[> [> [> That part is important for me because my husband works away a lot, and even when he's here, he has heart disease. I don't want to be looking around for a little cell in the middle of the night. When I'm alone at night, I put a cell on charger beside my bed as well as my land line phone, in an abundance of caution. -- Cece, 09:43:26 06/07/11 Tue [1]


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[> [> [> [> I used to do the same thing when DH travelled! -- JJ (Ronda), 18:59:13 06/07/11 Tue [1]


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[> [> Any time you call 911 reguardless of land line or cell phone dont count on the information being correct because your data can be wrong, and it is protocol nationally for all calls to start out with asking you address or where you are calling from. -- DOS, 09:49:04 06/07/11 Tue [1]


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[> [> [> Yeah, I've heard that, and if you are calling from a landline with no active service, I guess the address thing isn't going to work, but I'd still rather have that security. What if the cell phone is dead? Then you could be dead too! -- JJ (Ronda), 18:56:41 06/07/11 Tue [1]


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[> I'm not giving my landline up on the suggestion of my son who works for Time Warner. I have the cable television (all major networks plus), internet and phones on the cable bill. His insistance was to keep the land line in case the power goes out. He knows his stuff, so I stay with it. I'm not a big cell phone user, only emergencies. -- jenks, 05:12:51 06/07/11 Tue [1]


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[> [> Yeah, I'm in Florida, and with hurricane season coming up, I definitely want a landline! The last time we had a bad storm (and it wasn't even a direct hit), lots of parts of town were without power for a whole week! -- JJ (Ronda), 18:54:30 06/07/11 Tue [1]


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[> So far, it has been going well. The hardest part is when I go to make a call. I always reach for the phone on the wall, then I remember. I also have a hard time keeping my cell phone with me. We figure that we will save about $500 to $600 a year by just discontinuing the land line and cutting back to basic cable. I have to remember to burn some of my other DJE movies/shows to a DVD before next week. That's when the DVR goes away. -- Martian Barb still getting used to this new world of technology., 19:21:19 06/08/11 Wed [1]


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[> [> MB.... try wearing more pants/shorts/skirts with pockets and keep your phone in your pocket. You'll get used to carrying it around. -- The Chief, 20:27:52 06/08/11 Wed [1]


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[> [> [> I still have to turn it off at work. The signal in the nursery and in the delivery room is so terrible that I lose signal and the battery is drained. Then I don't have any battery life to call home at midnight when I am on my way home. If it's anything important, I will have to give my husband's number as the official family number. He always has his on. -- Martian Barb, 08:37:47 06/10/11 Fri [1]


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[> [> [> [> I was thinking at home, not at work. -- The Chief, 18:05:17 06/11/11 Sat [1]


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[> [> [> [> [> I am getting used to carrying it around at home. Last night I wanted to call my sister and was in the kitchen and picked up my wall phone and just laughed to myself. Some habits die slowly. -- Martian Barb, 05:51:07 06/14/11 Tue [1]


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[> third option -- khc, 15:47:55 06/18/11 Sat [1]

We got tired of paying $80.00 a month for the landline and got internet phone through our cell provider. It cost and extra $10.00 per month and we were able to keep the same phone number.


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