What is Digg?88 Comments
- cody50, on 10/12/2007, -5/+27How about VoIP only households?
- dickeytk, on 10/12/2007, -1/+19little extreme, don't ya think?
- revmitcz, on 10/12/2007, -3/+19That's kinda what I was thinking. I haven't had a landline in about 4 years now, and when people give me two phone numbers, saying "the other one's my landline", I'm almost shocked. Like "yeah? Do you snail mail letters to people, too?"
Hmm.. I'm too old for the 18-24 group though. *sniffles* - Durrok, on 10/12/2007, -0/+12Collect calls from jail. Trust me, when no one you know has a landline it's a bitch.
- d2nd, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12its great the most of us can get by without landlines, but to say they are completely pointless in this day and age is wrong.
Landlines provide a level of service not found in the alternatives, namely powerless operation and increased reliability over cable based voip or mobiles.
Lots of physicians and public safety officials will continue to use landlines in their homes. There is a reason most docs have a pager and cell phone, sometimes old tech remains the most reliable - pairanoyd, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11I'm 45 and on cell phone only. It ain't just for young folks.
I ripped ALL the phone wires from my house, cut the wire at the pole and ripped the box off the back wall.
After getting ass raped by SBC over DSL service via triple and quadruple billing I told them to go f**k themselves.
I will never again have a wired phone in my home. Not even if it were free.
I'm more than happy with cell phone only service. I have no regrets for cutting the wire and will never go back. - MoofTheStoof, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9I wish I could go cell-only. No cable internet in my town and the local telephone company will only sell you DSL if you have a landline. I don't even answer my landline, anymore. Only telemarketers call that number. I want naked DSL, dammit!
- MrSunshine, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Must be a US-only thing.
You can't have ADSL here in most European countries without a landline connection. We have to pay a monthly fee for ADSL and the landline, next to the phone calls themselves. But landline calls are cheaper than mobile ones anyway, so lots of people use their mobiles only when they're not at home.
Still, ***** you Bluewin/Swisscom. I want ADSL without landline. - DCstewieG, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Wait a few years and your friends will have things to do besides sitting at their computer waiting for your IM. Hopefully so will you.
- ayeroxor, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7We're lagging so far behind that all our local calls are free via landlines.
Get a clue. - NtHammer, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5ya a lot of people i know still have landlines, but just about all of my friends have cellphones, so i never call a land line, its been a LONG time since I've called a land line.
my house switched over to cellphone only a couple years back when my bros (rich) friend did it and they said it was better and cheaper, i think it is a lot better, and i guess its cheaper.
the only drawback is that cellphone are at a higher risk of being destroyed (smashed, water, battery) and when that happens getting contact of that person can become difficult - dyanacek, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6What do you do in power outages?
- billyliberty, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I have a landline (VOIP, if that still counts) as the wireless signal in my building is virtually nonexistent. Otherwise I would definitely be contributing to the statistics in the article. Anyone want to come over and strip the 80 year old foundation of lead-based paints off my walls so my signal will improve? I won't charge you anything and the paint chips are yours to distribute as you wish. Seriously.
- doctorcaligari, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4How would they know the difference between a landline or cell phone number if you don't tell them? I learned from the work world to not volunteer any information and only tell them what they want to hear. You use your cell at home? Then it's your home number.
- compwizz, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7I haven't had a land line in my house for over 4 years now, we only use cell phones.
- bayonetblaha, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6As a 20-year-old college student, I often marvel at the appliances of my parents' house that I once used daily but will probably never own myself. Land-line, VCR, and 35mm Camera come to mind.
- unimatrixZxero, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I have to stick with elastikos on this one. I have to have a land-line for ADSL broadband access. But I made the best of it, and got a Landline-to-landline flat. Which pretty much makes up for it.
- themarq, on 10/12/2007, -16/+19This just in from the department of "No Duh," cell phones are popular.
- kanukii, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3In the event of a power outage, get drunk on a patio
You really can't do much else anyway. - digitaldivider, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I'd rather have a voip line and a cell phone instead of just a cell phone. department of redundancy FTW.
- diktator279, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Neat, they're talking about me! Actually, I thought the number would be higher, especially if this doesn't include VoIP.
- justice7, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4power outages?
generator or UPS device
of course this is coming from a canadian where generators are commonplace. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4i live in a cell phone only household, no telemarketers. more convenient phones, lower bills, it's a no brainer
- TransmitThis, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I'm with you Mr sunshine,
Would love to get rid of the Landline and associated line rental chargd (app.£3.50pw) but need ADSL and thats the best way to get it over here in the UK.
Never make a call on the LL though - tehwacokid, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Exactly kamelJockey, the majority of us live like kings and most don't even know it. But a few more toys and status types-of-things wouldn't hurt my reputation and inner child. hehe
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+48 years off the landline for me... and really don't miss it. Cost effective for sure. I do find that I miss some calls if I leave my cell in another room since the ringing isn't through the entire house. Ringtones just don't have the kick that the old Ma-Bell rotary wall mount phones did.
- fantasticjon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@mongo420
A lot of apartments you have to buzz people in just to get into the building. so if you order a pizza and don't have the call box linked to your phone. You have to wait by the door, hence the inconvience.
You were mocking him/ner, when you were the ignorant one. sweet sweet irony. - ayeroxor, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3a swell?
- SanTe, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2And places that won't accept a mobile phone as my primary phone? They deal with it or they don't get my business. :) When they ask, "Home phone number?" I tell them, truthfully, "I don't have a home phone." If they whine and act like their ability to conduct business will be crippled without a non-cell contact number I'll sometimes offer my office phone number, as I use caller ID and voice mail to screen all of my calls there anyway.
- KeenanStorbeck, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3To MoofTheStoof. If your getting DSL through Verizon, they do offer a dry DSL option. I had to get them to talk to a manager to let me do it. What they did was set up the DSL with the landline, and once the DSL was all set up, they shut off my landline, while leaving the DSL, thus making my bill 24.99 cheaper ^_^
Cell phones are deff going to kill off landlines on one day though, I'm gussing within the next 30yrs, people will be asking whats a landline? - KamelJockey, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Very poor?
You have a landline, a cell phone, a computer and internet access. You also probably have plenty of food and drink to sustain you, along with a roof over your head. How the hell can you possibly consider yourself to be poor? - drakethegreat, on 10/12/2007, -5/+7How about a Voip network that can run off cellphones. Oh wait we wouldn't need voip if telecommunications companies stopped ripping off Americans. That will obviously happen when we leave Iraq and when my phone calls stop getting tapped. It also might happen after we stop driving cars that require petroleum.
- shosterman, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"911...Can you hear me now?"
- brstilson, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I don't have a land line. When I got my apartment I just never saw the need to get one. 6 months later I'm doing fine. My cell phone works everywhere I want it to. I can do everything I used to be able to do with a land line. With cable internet I really have absolutely no reason for one at all.
Now all I need is an OC-48 connection and I'll be all set. :D - tradjik, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I would say the most important reason people are holding onto land lines is 911. People are scared of not having the emergency responders know where they are when 911 is dialed. I am a cell/VoIP user so obviously 911 isn't a terrible concern of mine, but people are a bit leery about losing that feature of a land line.
Home security systems also require a phone line for alerts. I'm a bit surprised security systems don't have the ability to use a phone and/or network yet, but a lot of people don't want to scrap their security systems to go cell only.
A small thing (but it bit my friend who was Cell only) is that TiVo requires a phone line for the 1st time you connect (then you can go with the network option). I had to take my Vonage router to his house and hook that up to his new TiVo to make the set-up call.
I'd say yeah, land lines are becoming more and more obsolete but they still have their uses. - epheterson, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I'm about to start College, and In my apartment there will only be my cell phone. I don't see the need for a landline.
- joerod, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I guess I fit well with this article, I only have a cell phone for my apartment. Why even bother with a land line.. I use Skye's free service when I don't want to use my cell.
- elljay, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I havent had a landline for about 8yrs. Why bother? Cable internet.. now that's a reason for a wire!
- ayeroxor, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1You can have your complex program into the callbox whatever local number you want. My sister has hers tied to her cellphone.
- Godspeed, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1i just don't see paying for a landline and a cell phone bill i cell phone i can take with me were
ever i go so i went with a cell phone i don't talk more than 5 minutes aday max on the phone some days i don't even use it - ZeroMP, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I love VoIP, but I will still keep my cell phone in case of a roadside emergency. Whenever possible I use Skype since it's free (at least for now). The only problem I have is that half the time the tones don't activate automated menu options.. so I just click the numbers like a madman until an operator jumps in to direct my call :/
- doctorcaligari, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Wouldn't they require you to replace those lines when you sell the house? Or someone else would at least drop their offer because of the added expense or re-cabling the phones.
- bradboob, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1my wife and I have been cell phone only for awhile now, as others have said no need for home phone line, dugg cuz its true
- hiscity, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I've got a couple of cells, a DSL only connection from a local telco (1.3 down, .3 up, $30/mo), and haven't had a land-line phone for over a decade. When someone asks for my home phone, I give them the cell number that stays at the house, which is a pay-as-you-go cheapie. The cell I carry with me is based in a city 250 miles away....
That said, for many areas of the US, a cell call doesn't give physical address or exact location along with a 911 call. Often it's just the location of the nearest cell tower that shows up on the dispatch work-station. As you get older it's often wiser to have a land-line if you want to shave time off a 911 call or in the event you might not be able to talk during an emergency. So there are reasons to have a land-line. Fixed VOIP could be a substitute, but if the power goes out it's useless.
VOIP has two versions as far as 911 goes: fixed and dynamic. Fixed works like a landline and reports your permanent physical address during a 911 call. The other is treated like a roaming phone.
Since way back, I've never cared for ATT, their customer service attitude was and remains horrible. That's the main reason I dropped land-line phone service. I had Time-Warner cable for internet only for 6 months, but they're not customer service oriented either. I dropped them when the new contract would have gone from $30 to $50 per month.
Why is it that companies don't realize that potential customers will avoid them when they have predatory pricing or bad customer service? Same reason I guess as when you find grungy restrooms in a business or restaurant -- the owners just don't care. - ZeroMP, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Speaking of telemarketers....
I've always assumed they do not call my cell phone because I have to pay for incoming calls - unlike a land line - but in the future as more cellular plans go to free incoming you may see telemarketers going after these phones. This is why I am suspicious of free incoming plans... - homerj1965, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Landlines, how 20th century is that?
- ayeroxor, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Sorry for the dupe post, but I just thought of the easiest way. Just tell your complex that you've changed your phone number and need the new one set up in the callbox. Give them your cellphone number and tell them to have a good day. Saves you from the trouble-making idiots pulling an "I dont know if we can do that" routine.
- mbabauer, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I actually use both a land line and have two cells, one for business and one for personal. I have considered making this move before, but there are three things stopping me from dropping my land line:
1) Cell carriers are STILL hung up on having minutes. I wouldn't mind paying a premium to just have 100% included calls instead of this plan minutes crap
2) Cell phone battery life sucks. No matter the phone, it seems like you get maybe 1 to 2 hrs talk time. I telecommute, so I am on the phone ALL DAY. Yeah, I guess I could keep the charger plugged in, but it seems pointless to have a cell phone that's attached to the wall. I have enough power bricks plugged around my SOHO as it is, I don't need to add two more.
3) The reception in rural areas is still a problem, and every carrier, despite what they say, drops calls all the time.
Until those are reliably fixed, I don't see myself dropping land lines. - crpietschmann, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1And I've been landline free for about four years now.
- willgonz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I haven't had a home phone in Five years. My wife, when we were dating, had a cel-phone and a house phone. When we got married she dropped the home phone. Some say it is a leash. However, I only answer it when I want to.
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