Is it time to ditch your landline?
Although costs are now pretty steady, many people are deciding the traditional phone that has been their lifeline for years is no longer worth the expense, especially if they spend most of their time reaching for their cell phone to make or receive calls.
Thanks to better competition and lower pricing south of the border, the rate at which Canadians are going wireless is considerably behind the United States, which is at about 25 per cent of households, according to the Centres for Disease Control.
In Canada, roughly one out of every six families has now cut the cord on their landline. But that number is clearly growing, particularly as Skype and its competitors beome more popular. Most offer free calling within their systems — assuming both people on the call are members — and are fairly inexpensive otherewise.
If you’re thinking of ditching your landline, here are a few considerations, courtesy of GeckoBeach.
- Since your cellular phone will be on more often, consider purchasing a spare battery just in case you do end up talking for a few hours one night and drain the primary battery.
- If you’re in the market for a new cell phone, consider purchasing one that sits in a charging cradle while not in use at home (like a cordless phone) to ensure a full charge.
- If a provider offers more than one cellular frequency then consider purchasing a phone that is dual frequency. In some areas 1900 MHz phones have poorer reception than 800/850 MHz phones and ideally your phone would lock onto the higher quality frequency.
- If you live in an apartment then you can likely leave the phone in one spot and hear it from anywhere, but if you live in a large house then you'll have to remember to carry the phone with you from room to room if you want to make or receive calls.
- If you still like the idea of having several extensions with your landline, then there are systems you can buy that use your existing landline phones with your residential cellular line. When at home you place your cellular phone into a cradle and then incoming and outgoing calls can be made from any of the landline extensions through your cellular phone.
Would you ditch your home phone for a cell phone? Have you already made the switch? How are things working out?
By Gordon Powers, MSN Money
* Follow Gordon on Twitter here.
Posted by: Yerallnuts | Apr 21, 2021 9:29:59 AM
Cell (and VoIP) suck when it comes to things like in-home emergencies. 911 doesn;t know where you are. In the event of a civil emergency (of just because of the way Murphy works, you are likely to find that your phone will fail when you need it most. Of course, if you have an alarm system or fax machine having a cell phone isn't going to do you much good.
Best to drop your POTS (wired) home phone to a minimal configuration - you can't 'lose' your Bell phone or line and it is always there if and when you need it.
No minute limitations either.
Posted by: Steven | Apr 22, 2021 9:31:56 PM
If I wasn't married I would ditch my home AND my cellphone. My office phone works fine and I would love being able to know that the only incoming calls would be when I am at my desk. Keep a couple old off contract cell phone's handy for 911 calls and skype for calls I want to make and my house could be a tranquil oasis. Alas I am married so I get to spend my evening and supper time answering telemarketing calls.
Posted by: John | Apr 23, 2021 3:20:45 AM
If we have a power outage guess what your cell phone may work but the cell towers that transmit your call to the person receiving it don't so basically your cell is a paperweight.
Also I don't own a cell and I don't care if they become free in my opinion they are a nuicance and unneccessary.
When your out and about try enjoying life and looking around you and seeing the beauty your world has to offer and try talking to people around you.
Your in front of technology at home and at work why not take some time for the world itself.
Posted by: Jessica | Apr 23, 2021 3:53:46 PM
We don't have a home phone anymore. We all have our own cell phones on a family plan. It is fantastic. Nobody called our home phone except for telemarketers anyway. It just made sense for us. I'm not a paranoid type so in the event the world is ending and I can't dial 911, the truth is, nobody else will be able to either... because the world is ending. For now, I use my cell phone.
Posted by: Mark | Apr 23, 2021 4:27:09 PM
Although paying for 2 phone services may seem like a waste of money to some, one must think of the advantages of maintaining a landline. I had ditched my landline for a couple of years and found my cell bill was up to equalling the cost of maintaining both services. With a landline you have a 911 address and use of fax service as well as much cheaper long distance calling without using up minutes in your cell phone plan. Lastly, having a landline does not raise a Red Flag when applying for a loan as does with a mobile only contact.
Posted by: c. p. Tomecek | Apr 23, 2021 5:35:32 PM
Im tired of contract land lines that are in place only so govnmt sanctioned money grabing corps can make big money through scare tactics like, oh what if you need a docter, etc.
In the USA you can purchase a telephone for under $20, and buy time as you need it, and it works, but low and behold if you cross the river into Can. it at once stops working. Now if Can. telecomunication can stop that signal that precisely they can also change so we can get the service here like we get in USA and figure out how to show a profit without gouging the Can. People.
Like i said before if you cant compete and cant stand the heat get the hell out of the kitchen.
We Canadian are sick and tired of Canadian corporate GOUGING...... Chuck
Posted by: Joe | Apr 23, 2021 5:58:49 PM
Landlines are useless....most people dont even talk on a phone anymore, just texting. And if your worried about home security, ADT offers one that has cell phone capability, hence not needing a landline. Cell phone as your only contact doesnt raise a Red Flag when you apply for a loan, only if you dont pay your cell phone bills it does, and a crappy credit. Wow faxing? people still use that? i thought paperless is the way to go? LOL! This world is going wireless, like it or not, so get with the program and go wireless.
Posted by: Nimesh | Apr 23, 2021 6:47:37 PM
I have a combination which gives best of both worlds. I am not with any of BIG govnmt sanctioned money grabing corps. My digital home phone and internet package is lowest in ontario with unlimited international long distance and unlimited downloads (Thank god for giving some wisdom to CRTC). It has all calling features including Fax and callblasting ( it also rings on our cellphones when someone calls our homephone so concerned person can pick up the phone from his cell).
Posted by: Al | Apr 23, 2021 7:01:05 PM
Hi Nimesh
Who is the service provider for the unlimited International long distance. Sounds good.
Posted by: Nimesh | Apr 24, 2021 3:37:05 PM
Hi A1,
Please visit
http://www.myacncanada.ca/digital/plans.html
http://www.myacncanada.ca/rewards/index.html
My team ID 02242829
My Email: shah.nimesh@hotmail.com
Posted by: tayetch | Apr 24, 2021 10:14:13 PM
I believe landline has an advantage and perhaps more. When we had a black out the landline was wstorking and we were able to contact our families and friends when the cellphones were all dead. What else would one want at a time of emergency. The cells have their advantage too because one will have mobile contact. They both have advantages so one ought to embrace technology.
Posted by: Jeff | Apr 25, 2021 12:53:43 PM
I ditched my landline in 2002 and went cell only. At the time, the cell offered a lower price, more features and a greater local calling area. In 2007 I ditched the cell and went with Voip because it offered the same features, a lower price and free north american calling. The landline was $60/month, the cell was $40/month and now the Voip is $10/month. I figured that by dumping the landline, I've saved over $3000 in 10 years