Death knell for landlines - RANT

[kcflhrc]

We sell pure broadband but it is still wired through a land line for E911 purposes as well as billing purposes. My company as well as some other's have no other way to bill for the services other than by the phone #. I know, sounds stupid, but that's the way it is. So just to clarify, even though you are a pure broadband customer, we still have to supply you with dial tone to call 911. If you are a Fiber to the prem customer, same deal, we still have to supply you with a land line for E911. It's your choice to use it or not.

 

[DFB]

I have the most minimum phone option they offer...lifeline or something like that they call it. Very limited local calling area and anything beyond that range is a charge by the minute call but it is enough phone to keep the bundled discount for the DSL service activated.

The phone company person I spoke with offered up that option when I called seeking to reduce my monthly billing...

She laughingly referred to as "It's nothing more than a dial tone actually"

Seeing that I have a cell phone to use for all other calls its all I really needed.

 

[k0ua]

I pay $50 p/month for the Landline that we rarely use. I pay $50 p/month for Internet service thru the landline company because I can't get it any other way that I'm aware of.

So,,,, is there a device that can be plugged into my Shop Laptop and my House Computer that equips them to use our AT&T Cell Phone service?? Then just buy a larger data plan for the Cell Phones and we're covered??? I have $100 p/month to spend on such a program before it's not cost effective......

the quick and dirty way it to make a hotspot with your ATT smart phone. Then wirelessly connect your laptop to it. Just takes a few seconds. Of course it eats into your data plan, so you need to have a big enough data plan on your smartphone to accommodate that.

TBN and normal email and such would be no problem.. But watching video... eh, not so much unless your data plan is generous. 15G is 100 bucks,. and 5Gig is $50 now from ATT and you can share it with all of your devices. As for the desktop, you could put a wireless card in it too to use your phones hotspot.. Only problem is the hotspot in the smartphone drains the battery in a hurry, and when you take your smartphone with you, well there goes the hotspot down the road, and the other family members now have no internet access. give them a call, I bet they have a wireless hotspot device for the home service.

 

[JBourquin]

We sell pure broadband but it is still wired through a land line for E911 purposes as well as billing purposes. My company as well as some other's have no other way to bill for the services other than by the phone #. I know, sounds stupid, but that's the way it is. So just to clarify, even though you are a pure broadband customer, we still have to supply you with dial tone to call 911. If you are a Fiber to the prem customer, same deal, we still have to supply you with a land line for E911. It's your choice to use it or not.

I thought this was true for all landlines but when I cancelled mine and kept just DSL they shut the phone down completely. If I do plug a phone into the Jack there's no dial tone, I've tried when the Internet was down. Don't think I could call 911 if I wanted to, don't really wanna try either.

 

[JerryK]

I have a cell, and it works pretty good out here in the boonies... BUT, still keep my landline... with it's DSL link to the outside world. Can't beat the dependability, sound quality, AND the DSL I need. So, it is not going anywhere.... [ besides, I can still use my MODEM once and awhile... and connect to AOL... ] Life is good...

 

[KYErik]

I have a straight talk home phone (different from a straight talk cell phone). It sounds just like the verizon home phone that was described earlier on this thread as it is a small "box" with a small cell antenna, a 110v power supply, two standard phone jacks, an internal backup battery, a voice mail indicator light, a signal strength indicator light, and a battery level indicator light, free unlimited long distance, free caller ID (number only- no name) and free voice mail. $17 a month ($15 before taxes). My unit uses Verizon cell towers. They have a deal going on right now where you can get a free reconditioned unit along with one month's service. I have had it for about 7 months and have no complaints. Last week, I unplugged it from the wall and took it to my parents house to show them how well it works (there was good signal there too). I suppose a person could even use it as an ultra cheap emergency cell phone ( unplug it from the wall outlet and carry it and a cheap "bell type" phone in their vehicle).

Funny thing was calling att and cancelling the landline. Typically it took 3-4 days to get a repairman out to fix static on the line. The landline was dead within 60 seconds after I hung up with customer service.

 

[k0ua]

I have a straight talk home phone (different from a straight talk cell phone). It sounds just like the verizon home phone that was described earlier on this thread as it is a small "box" with a small cell antenna, a 110v power supply, two standard phone jacks, an internal backup battery, a voice mail indicator light, a signal strength indicator light, and a battery level indicator light, free unlimited long distance, free caller ID (number only- no name) and free voice mail. $17 a month ($15 before taxes). My unit uses Verizon cell towers. They have a deal going on right now where you can get a free reconditioned unit along with one month's service. I have had it for about 7 months and have no complaints. Last week, I unplugged it from the wall and took it to my parents house to show them how well it works (there was good signal there too). I suppose a person could even use it as an ultra cheap emergency cell phone ( unplug it from the wall outlet and carry it and a cheap "bell type" phone in their vehicle).

Funny thing was calling att and cancelling the landline. Typically it took 3-4 days to get a repairman out to fix static on the line. The landline was dead within 60 seconds after I hung up with customer service.

I bet the straight talk box is the same box that I bought from Verizon for the Mother In Law. And 3 bucks a month cheaper at 17 instead of the 20 from Verizon. I like it because it was a no hassle move from down here in Branson to Springfield. When she moved it went with her and was working in her new home in seconds. I had originally tried to get service either from the local phone company and after getting the run around from them tried from the cable company which also offers home phone service in Springfield. It was just more trouble than it was worth trying to coordinate the install. I told them to forget it, and went and saw Verizon and went with that. Eazy Peazy.

 

[OKnewguy]

Hey guys, I canceled our home phone service a few years ago. BUT, if you have high speed internet, you can buy a cheap device that you can use to get a dial tone. It uses google voice, so you can port your home phone into GV, and then you get free home phone. I have a few threads talking about it. I really like to keep the ancient number working and love having a real phone from time to time.
Here is one of the threads
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/related-topics/285488-great-voip-telephone-service-update.html
and here is the original.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...monthly-phone-service-i.html?highlight=obihai
Dave

 

[tcreeley]

I use a landline. My DSL comes through it. Only one cell phone carrier has reliable service in my area. My wife has a cell phone for travelling. I don't.

 

[MossRoad]

James some one has to pay for all the free phones given to the willing to be non employed so they can stay in contact with the state unemployment office. the benefits are wonderful they don't want to give it up.
ken

They were assisting the poor with land lines long before cell phones. 1984, to be exact. It's called the Lifeline program. Read about it here...

https://www.fcc.gov/general/lifeline-program-low-income-consumers

And debunk the myth here....

Free 'ObamaPhones' for Welfare Recipients : snopes.com

Everyone seems to forget that it started in 1984. Cell phones are cheaper to pay for than land lines. The only reason it seems extravagant is that when those of us 40 and over were growing up, telephones were expensive. Long distance was a luxury. If grandma called at the holidays you had to say "I love you grandma, Merry Christmas!" as fast as you could and hand the phone back to your parents because it cost so much. And when cell phones first arrived, they were extremely expensive. As has been discussed in this entire thread, cell phones are now much cheaper and way more economical than land lines.

So which one would you rather have the government doing; Land line assistance for the poor or cell phone assistance for the poor?

Let me guess... neither, right?