Question for those with no land line phone

[disneysteve]

Just curious. If you have no land line phone, just a cell phone, how does that work at home? Do you only have one phone? We have a land line phone in almost every room, plus a cordless that we can wander with. That way someone can answer the phone wherever they happen to be in the house and whoever is free and closest to a phone answers it. With just a cell phone, I'd carry the phone with me, but I could then be the only one to answer it. If the call was for DW or DD, I'd have to take the phone to them.

Also, you couldn't have more than one person on the line. Sometimes, my wife and I will both be on a receiver talking to the caller. Is there a way to do that when you just use a cell phone?

Finally, what do you do when your cell phone is charging?

Just something I've been wondering about as I read more and more people saying they ditched their land lines.

[PrincessPerky]

We have no land line, I have a phone and my husband has a phone, if they were calling for my husband he would get it on his phone, same with mine..rarely does anyone call my phone for him, but when we only had one, that worked the same as if I answered my land line and passed it to him...no big, we do talk to each other, I don't mind answering and passing

Did you know at one time people didn't all have phones in every room? Teenagers had to walk all the way to the kitchen or front hall to talk, and that was prolly in front of mom or dad!

Kidding, but I thought the historical reminder might help.

As to charging, it charges in the living room which is pretty central, and if I missed a call while tucking my kids in to nap (since the phone is on buzz regardless of where it is) oh well.

As to multiple people on one line with voice mail we get two way calling, where you can hook up multiple people with multiple phone lines, in multiple locals...but we have never used it, just happens to come 'free' with the voice mail package.

Of course we don't have teens, though even if we did I doubt we would get a land line...babysitters just get to use my phone if they don't have their own (most do!) and the kids use my phone or dads when they want to make a call...

[Gruntina]

Instant messaging, emails, and online phones have pretty much change the bulk of teenager's method of contacts.

Though I do not have children, I do often see family packages advertised for phones where family can get about 4 or 5 phones under the same plan so it is monitored by the parents. They seem to be a good deal but again not an expert on that.

In my household, DH and I each have our own cell phones (It is a must for us since I am Deaf and each of us need a PDA style phone so we can text to each other all the time with ease. The internet on the cell phone enables me to use the software to use the Relay service to makes calls in an emergency like if I was stranded with car problems, the relay person will read my message and call the person by voice and relay back to me by typing.) Since I can not use the phone minutes on my phone since that is the feature of the phones I can not use, I always let DH use the free minutes if he needs.

I also have a Video Phone(Biggest and Best breakthrough offered for the Deaf) which is hooked up to my ip address internet provider. I have the camera machine hooked to a spare TV and make calls to other deaf friends by camera, and using a sign language interpreter phone rep. to relay calls to the hearing. This feature does not interrupt anyone who wishes to use the internet on the computer while I am on a phone call.

[disneysteve]

I have a phone and my husband has a phone, if they were calling for my husband he would get it on his phone, same with mine

when we only had one, that worked the same as if I answered my land line and passed it to him...no big, we do talk to each other, I don't mind answering and passing

Not sure how that would work for us. The same people may be calling for me or DW depending on the purpose of the call. It seems cumbersome for them to have to keep 2 numbers on file for us.

As for passing, I wasn't thinking about when we were together, but more of when I'm upstairs on the computer and DW is in the basement or something like that. Now, I can just call down to her and she picks up the phone. With only a cell, I'd have to take the phone to her, or she would have to come get it from me.

Did you know at one time people didn't all have phones in every room?

You didn't grow up in my house - LOL. We had 3 phones in the living room, 1 in the kitchen, 2 in each bedroom and 2 in the basement (we had 2 phone lines). My mom now lives in a 1 bedroom apartment and I think she has 4 phones - 2 in the living room, 1 in the kitchen and 1 in the bedroom.

The main reason we'd never ditch our land line is that we don't want to be accessible all the time. Very, very few people have our cell numbers. Cells are for my convenience and for emergencies. They aren't for casual use.

[Gruntina]

The main reason we'd never ditch our land line is that we don't want to be accessible all the time. Very, very few people have our cell numbers. Cells are for my convenience and for emergencies. They aren't for casual use.

With cell phone features having caller ID on them, I would not anser it if I was not available so I am not sure what the differences between this and a land line phone?

[disneysteve]

With cell phone features having caller ID on them, I would not anser it if I was not available so I am not sure what the differences between this and a land line phone?

I don't believe in caller ID. If my phone rings, I answer it. I don't screen my calls. Besides, on my cell, which has caller ID, it gives me the phone number but doesn't tell me who is calling unless that person is in my phone book. I still need to answer to find out who it is.

[Diolla]

I am not sure going all cell would work for you. It is not for everyone.

Like another poster said, I have one and my DS has one, if they want me they call me, if they want DS they call him. We have a tiny house so we are never that far from each other when we are home. For things that require a 'home' phone number we use mine.

It is actually handier for us because DS goes to his Dads some weekends and his friends can call him and get him instead of calling my house and then calling Dad's (since nobody knows when he is going to be at one or the other)

I plug mine in at night before I go to bed (if it needs it) since I won't be using it for 6-8 hrs anyway. In case of an emergency it will still ring and I can answer it.

Usually if both DS and I want on the phone together we just turn on the speakerphone option and we listen and talk through whatever phone was called. But like I said we have a small house and are always less than 25 feet from each other if we are in the house.

BTW-I grew up in a house with 2 phones one in the kitchen/dining room and one in the basement.

[tabbycat31]

I'm single and childless so I only have one (cell) phone. My phone is in my pocket 90% of the time, so it's always on me. If I miss a call, I miss a call. And I don't pick up the phone if I do not recognize the number. My caller ID is set that if the number is programmed, it will come up "dad, 555-1212" or just "555-1212" if the number is not programmed.

As for charging. I have a wall charger and a car charger. I usually charge my phone whenever I am driving. I use my wall charger when I'm at the computer or sleeping.

[disneysteve]

I'm single and childless so I only have one (cell) phone.

I think that makes perfect sense. I know a number of single people who have just their cell. If I was one person, I'd probably do the same.

[PrincessPerky]

If I notice the thing ringing I answer it, if I don't I don't....I have less interruptions now that we use cell phones..My husband and I have a particular story about valentines day....someone without a girl friend didn't know the day, and the home phone rang..cell phones were safely pocketed in jeans (which were not on) and wouldn't have bothered us.

On a more G rated note, with the kids I like not having to ever go back in the house for the phone...it is always on me if I care to answer it.

[PrincessPerky]

BTW ditto not all things work for all people, if you like 20 phones in the house, enjoy!

[George23]

saving money/phones

I have 2 cell phones and no need for a landline (I am in FL and one of the phones is for unlimited minutes with Metro PCS for about $45/month and no monthly contract).

[Coleroo]

we have 2 cells and one landline. the only reason we have the landline is because the number has been in our family for 50 years (yeh yeh, strange... while other families pass down priceless heirlooms, we pass down phone numbers)

But we rarely use our landline. The only people who we talk to are ones who specifically want to talk directly to my husband or directly to myself - so they call our "personal line" (cell phone). If somone (i.e. my husband's family in new york) wants to talk to both of us at the same time, we just put the cell's speakerphone on.

[markusk]

DW and I each have our own cell phones, and we are on a family plan @$86.30 (including all taxes) with rollover minutes. For international calls, we use our cell phones via a calling card that we buy online. We have not had a landline in over three years and don't miss it.

The only reason I would get a landline now is if I were to get DSL (over Comcast cable) if DSL were significantly cheaper. But as I understand it, you don't necessarily need a landline service now a days to get DSL.

Also if I were to get a landline now, I would need to buy phones (for each room?) and an answering machine. Not worth it.

[CRFSaver]

I am also single and just keep my cell phone. My parents have the same service (Verizon at the moment) as does my sister so calls in between us are free. If I ever get married and have chidren I would get a land line with a cheap non-powered corded phone for an emergency. Even when the power is out, landlines can still be powered by the phone company, and when have you ever heard of 911 mistaking the address on the POTS.