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Landline phone

Discussion in 'Tilted Gear' started by redux, May 5, 2017.

?

Do you still have a landline?

  1. Yes

    9 vote(s)
    50.0%
  2. No

    9 vote(s)
    50.0%
  1. redux

    redux Very Tilted

    Location:
    Foggy Bottom
    This caught my eye this morning.

    It took 34 years, but the majority of American households have finally ditched landlines
    I dropped my landline more than a year ago.

    Do you still have one?
     
    • Like Like x 1
  2. Stan

    Stan Resident Dumbass

    Location:
    Colorado
    Yes

    I live in the mountains, no direct cell service where I live. I use a network extender; but it isn't really reliable enough.
     
  3. redravin

    redravin Cynical Optimist Donor

    Location:
    North
    Didn't get one when I moved back to AK.
    I thought about getting one in case of an earthquake or some other kind of major disruption of the towers up here, which is a lot more likely than many places in the lower 48, but I live in the city and would probably be screwed anyway.
     
  4. Borla

    Borla Moderator Staff Member

    No, I got rid of mine about 10 years ago. I moved from a small rural town that had spotty cell service to an area with much better coverage, so I never got a personal land line where I live now.

    For a brief time I had a business land line for faxing. But that too got archaic enough about 8 years ago that I ditched the business one too.
     
  5. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
    I do so for multiple reasons...
    • security/background checks - make you seem more established and the conservative minded investigators prefer it (even in this day & age)
    • backup - you never know when the cell goes down (plus it helps me find my cell at times)
    • throw away/discretion/privacy - I give this out to those I don't want bothering me, calling constantly and it gives more "buffer"
    • In the phonebook - this is the number that outsiders and old-schoolers can refer to
    It really doesn't cost me more since it's wrapped up into my TV/Internet/Cable package
     
    • Like Like x 2
  6. omega

    omega Very Tilted

    I technically have a landline because of comcast triple play. But I haven't had a phone plugged in for several years.
     
  7. CinnamonGirl

    CinnamonGirl The Cheat is GROUNDED!

    I got my first cell phone because I couldn't get a landline in my apartment. That was...uh...2004ish? My parents still have theirs, so technically I had one when I moved back in with them, though I didn't really use it.

    No home landline at all since I moved to NC seven years ago.


    A friend of mine was the first person I remember ditching a landline and going cell-phone-only. I'm thinking this was 2000 or 2001...at the time, I thought it was really odd, but when he explained it was one less bill to pay, I definitely understood.
     
  8. cynthetiq

    cynthetiq Administrator Staff Member Donor

    Location:
    New York City
    I have a landline. I insist on having one as a back up to cell towers. It also is something that connects to the front door so that I cans buzz people into the apartment building.
     
  9. Fangirl

    Fangirl Very Tilted

    Location:
    Arizona
    Have a landline. Have two senior parents remaining. I'm listed and it's for them. Otherwise, I would love to dump it because of telemarketers. The cost is incidental as it too is rolled into a cable package.
     
  10. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    I haven't had one for 14 years. My parents put me on their cell phone plan then, and that was easier than splitting another bill with roommates.
     
  11. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    I should add that my parents haven't had one for about that long, too... and my dad just turned 70!
     
    • Like Like x 1
  12. Chris Noyb

    Chris Noyb Get in, buckle up, hang on, & be quiet.

    Location:
    Large City, TX
    We have one, don't really need it. But using that # and the answering machine saves us a lot crap calls to our cell phones.

    The LL will be gone soon.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  13. spindles

    spindles Very Tilted

    Location:
    Sydney, Australia
    telecoms is so screwed in this country but at least they can't stuff up running a copper wire to the house.
     
  14. Charlatan

    Charlatan sous les pavés, la plage

    Location:
    Temasek
    I clicked yes, but here's the deal...

    a. the service came free with my cable package
    b. never use it
    c. is it still a land line if it's using IP via my cable service?
    d. if it wasn't free, I wouldn't have it
     
  15. Wildmermaid

    Wildmermaid Very Tilted

    Location:
    Pacific Northwest
    We've not had a landline since our teenager was a baby. The 11 year old though has never lived in a house with one at all. A couple of family members still have them, but they have cell phones as well.
     
  16. oldtimer56

    oldtimer56 umime

    Location:
    East Texas
    Wish I could get one, cheap internet would be possible...
     
  17. buzzgunner

    buzzgunner 180 gr. of diplomacy

    We've still got a landline. Actually, at age 61, I've never been without one my entire life!
     
  18. cynthetiq

    cynthetiq Administrator Staff Member Donor

    Location:
    New York City
    I still have a landline, but it's VOIP not POTS.
     
  19. DAKA

    DAKA DOING VERY NICELY, THANK YOU

    Anyone have MAGIC JACK?
    How does that work?
     
  20. cynthetiq

    cynthetiq Administrator Staff Member Donor

    Location:
    New York City
    it's Voice Over IP (VOIP), so you need to have a computer connected to the internet. It "pretends to be a ph0ne number in the local area code you want, and phone rings just like any other phone would.