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View Full Version : Land Lines Fading Into Obsolence


Eric Lin
08-06-2003, 07:15 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,59896,00.html' target='_blank'>http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,59896,00.html</a><br /><br /></div>The Associated Press put out a report that more Americans are cancelling their landline service in favor of a cell phone and broadband. While mobile phones have outnumbered land lines in developing countries for years, with developed Europe and Asia close behind, the trend is finally catching up in the US- one of the few places where wired service is charged on as a flat rate. The article still uses slightly out of date data, but provides the impressive figure that 43% of American phones are cellular.<br /><br />Personally I've used a mobile phone as my only phone since 1997 and I could never go back. I'm rarely home and it's been great to be able to coordinate plans, discuss work, or talk to family and friends many timezones away whenever and wherever it's convenient. Many people complain that mobile phones make it too easy for people to contact them. I say all it takes is caller ID, or even turning your phone off if you don't want to talk. Vactioning in places where your cell phone doesn't work is also a pretty nice option every now and then.<br /><br />With unlimited or cheaper data plans, and lots of voice minutes for very little money, I think it's realistic for Americans to start cutting the cord. What do you think?

ARW
08-06-2003, 08:54 PM
My wife and I gave up our landline a year and a half ago. By and large it's worked great for us, though we would really like to have Smartphones for our wireless service. :wink:

randalllewis
08-06-2003, 09:45 PM
I talked to my wife about dropping our land line a few years ago. She wasn't willing to do it at that time. I think I'll bring up the subject again as she is getting better about using her mobile.

The one hestiation I have about it relates to how convenient land line phones have gotten in our homes. We have four phones in our three bedroom home. We are never far from one when they ring. I assume those of you using only mobiles remember to move them around the house with you- next to the bed at night and so on. That would take some retraining I suppose.

MichaelC
08-06-2003, 09:48 PM
I ditched my land line a month ago in favour of my cell phone. No complaints so far. I like having just one number and having it with me all the time. If I don't want ot be contacted I just switch it off. I've got unlimited GPRS on the account as well, but even if the speed increases it won't replace having a broadband connection at home, I don't want my home to be only connected when either I'm there or my phone is there.

brntcrsp
08-07-2003, 12:16 AM
I haven't used land line service since June 2001. It helped that I was living on my own at the time in a studio and it cost the same amount to use a cell phone exclusively as to have a land line. I've never regretted the decision.

Once I move out of the urban expanses, then I may consider a land line again, but it will be hard to go back.

encece
08-07-2003, 12:50 AM
I would love to get rid of my landline as it's only purpose seems to be for Telemarketing calls. I mostly use my mobile and I have cable internet.

But unfortunately T-Mobile's service SUCKS where I live. I can't get reception in my home. I have to leave the phone near the window and can only talk near the window or go outside.

I hope there are more CDMA Smartphone options soon or I may have to leave the Smartphone behind...I love it's features...but it is a phone and it's not doing what it's supposed to do as a phone...WORK ALL OF THE TIME!

I love that I can sell my GSM phone when I want to upgrade and get a new one without extending contracts. Or even buy one on ebay. Even if CDMA Smartphones come out...I'd be very reluctant to get one until they are FULLY supported by Verizon as I dont want to get a CDMA phone and be stuck with it...having a VERY limited ability to sell it. Probably only to other Verizon subscribers.

In the meantime...I'm stuck with T-Mobile. Stuck with having to keep my home phone.

The worst part is...My home phone is broken! It's reception stinks lately as well. Now I have to buy another cordless!!!! AND I DONT EVEN WANT A HOME PHONE!

freitasm
08-07-2003, 01:57 AM
A couple of months ago I posted an article on Geekzone about this title "The case for having no landline (POTS) at home ".

Though centered on economical reasons (in New Zealand mobile phone users don't pay to receive calls and SMS), it applies to every user.

In one year a user can save up to NZ$700 (US$ 400) if using only the mobile phone.

Gator5000e
08-07-2003, 04:46 AM
I would love to drop my land line, but alas for Direct TV. If there's a way to satisfy Direct TV I would cancel in a heartbeat.

Mike Temporale
08-07-2003, 01:49 PM
I would love to drop my land line, but alas for Direct TV. If there's a way to satisfy Direct TV I would cancel in a heartbeat.

Unless there is something I don't know about, you don't need a land line for DirectTV. The phone line you plug into your receiver is just to make it easy when ordering pay perview movies. The Guide is downloaded using the satellite.

I have used 2 (out of the 3 available in Canada) wireless cable providers - Look, and StarChoice. Both woudl like you to plug in the phone line. They can get the impulse buy on pay per view. However I have NEVER done it. If I what a pay per view, I just call them up.

Tim Williamson
08-09-2003, 01:01 AM
I voted for "We don't need no stinkin land lines" even though we still have a land line, I've never used it.

About a year ago I moved into a house with 4 other roomates. 8O We still have one landline phone (which can be used for local calls) but all of us also have cell phones which each of us use as our main phone or for long distance calls.

This works out great cause we don't have to worry about splitting up the landline phone bill every month, it just stays the same month to month.

I use T-Mobile as my carrier and I'm paying about $40 bucks/month and I get 1000 minutes and there's no extra charge to make long distance calls.

So far this has worked out great and I really haven't gotten near to using up my 1000 minutes. I think the most I've used in a month is around 500.