Phones....

[msnln]

Re: Phones....

I have been land line free since 2002 but used Vonage as home phone from 2004 to past month. We hardly use home line so we opted for $14.99 500 minute plan but dropped it as we were only using like 60 minutes a month. Instead of Vonage, I signed up for Skype-in service at $36 for the year, where I get a phone number and make/get phone calls directly through my PC. Upside is obviously cost and downside is that PC has to be on all the time to receive calls. I went around this by having calls forwarded to the cell when the call is not picked up within 30 seconds.

Additionally, I dropped my cable when I found out that many channels can be viewed online as well. I bought S video AV cable adaptor and hook up my laptop to the TV to see programming that comes through my internet on TV. Sometimes pictures breakup for a second with congestion etc, but I am saving $35 each month.

There is an interesting article in NY times about technology convergence:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/02/opinion/02mon4.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[debtfreeme]

Re: Phones....

i have used only my cel phone for a few years now and i love it. I lived at home and even though i had a land line there for my mom (she will not use a cell phone) i only gave out my cell line. i prefer that with the limited expense of the cell phone it makes it easier. just because i have a cell phone does not mean i am going to answer it and it is often on silent anyway.

[Crystallas]

Re: Phones....

Ima, no you don't need a phone. Cable and the some new techonology (T-1??) don't require a phone. Dial-up and DSL do require a landline.

Theres WiFi, Cable, Satelite, and Data over powerline. All dont require landlines.
And Ive seen it mentioned on the forum a few times. T1 is actually older technology than residential broadband/cable/dsl. Because current IP technology is still very limited compared to IPv6, greater than T1 for many comercial situations hasnt been required.

[tabbycat31]

Re: Phones....

I forgot to mention. One of the reasons I do not have a landline is that I don't believe I should have to pay for privacy. I don't want someone to find my number in a phonebook, and a cellphone is not listed in a phonebook. If my company ever wanted to do such a thing, they'd really hear it from me. I grew up with a listed number, and I was prank called off the hook. My parents would not pay for a private number.

My internet is through my cable company. Cable is a splurge of mine, but I *MUST* have my Yankees. That and the net are why I don't cancel cable. Plus I don't watch network TV.

[crazyBMB]

Re: Phones....

You could ask the regular phone company to give you an un-listed phone number.

[Bookie]

Re: Phones....

You could ask the regular phone company to give you an un-listed phone number.

In my area an unlisted telephone number is available as an extra-cost option only. You have to pay a monthly surcharge for the privilege of opting out of the system.

[kashi]

Re: Phones....

I haven't had a land line in years. I doubt I will ever pay for one again. I hate unsolicited phone calls, and I know 911 works on my cell. The people who need to have my number have my cell phone number. When people ask me for my telephone number in stores, I say no.

Should I eventually move to an area with poor cell phone reception, I might consider a land line again. Until then, no way!

and just as a side note - when I had a land line in an apartment building about 5 years ago, we got TONS of off-the-wall calls - people who were drunk and looking for the person who used to have our number, people who spoke a completely different language, etc. It made for amusing answering machine messages, but we eventually just shut off the phone ringer because it was rarely for one of us! (we only had it for the dial-up internet, anyway.)

[tabbycat31]

Re: Phones....

You could ask the regular phone company to give you an un-listed phone number.

that is not a free option. I should not have to pay for my privacy. And plus it's illegal for telemarketers to call a cellphone.

[CraigThor]

Re: Phones....

My wife and I both have cell phones and I only used a cell phone for the last 5-6 years but then I had internet access at my parents. Since I have been on my own till I got married I only used my cell now we have both so I could have internet access with my DSL. Phone is a corded incase of a power outage so it will still work even though the ringer is shut off .

Re: Phones....

Anyone have any good ideas about this. I have a security system which uses the phone line, DSL for the phone line plus cell phones and a land phone. This is costing me a fortune. I need to find a cheaper way to go with this.

[tmango]

Re: Phones....

Just in case it was missed, you dont necessarily need landline phone service for dsl.. some carriers provide DSL without landline service