Opinions on Dropping Land Line Phone Completely

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: doitmyself
Pop Rivit,

I think you might be confusing the definition of reverse 911 vs. land line 911 location tracking.

Reverse 911 is when you register your cell/land line phone number with the area dispatch center. If there is a looming area emergency (tornado, flood, earth quake, Pablo siting, etc,) they will call YOU to warn you to take precautions.

The land line 911 locator is a computer system that automatically gives the dispatch center your address before you even say anything. With my scanner, I hear at least one 911 call per night where no one spoke....i.e. hang up, child, incapacitated or non speaking adult, etc..



Either way, it's not something that I need. I'm pretty sure that if there's a flood, tornado or earthquake anywhere near me I'll be well aware of it without the need for 911 hand holding.

I prefer to rely upon myself in either case.

 

[eljefino]

I got a reverse 911 call saying of all things that a local gas station put gasoline in the kerosene tank, and if I bought "kero" from them, I should shut off my furnace!

This trumps EAS over TV/Radio, though both have their place.

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Either way, it's not something that I need. I'm pretty sure that if there's a flood, tornado or earthquake anywhere near me I'll be well aware of it without the need for 911 hand holding.

I prefer to rely upon myself in either case.


Believe me, I'm more like you regarding the pros and cons of the wise use of today's technology vs. letting it run your life.

We both ask, "how did we survive before all this technology"....quite well is the answer. Yet, you have demonstrated how great new technology can be put to work effectively also (your computer cemetery records business).

Let's say you collapse and your 4 year old grandchild manages to dial 911, but can't convey anything else.

Some here advocate that this scenario justifies $30 +/- per month for piece of mind. Others say not. This safety net only covers the immediate area of your homestead.

It's really this simple. Right now, I'm leaning towards accepting the risk and all that it might entail (death). People choose small cars for economic reasons knowing that they might be much safer in a larger one. What's the difference?

Sorry for turning this into a philosophical topic, but it is what it is.

 

[2Fast4U]

Google voice. Free, works awesome, tons of options and millions of people use it daily.

Now you need to get this working outside a pc. Check out obi 100 or 202 on amazon and look at hundreds of good reviews. Cheap 1 time fee for the device.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

My parents keep their land line because cell phones get very poor reception in their house.

When I moved out of home last year, I was considering getting a land line. But ... with how much it costs and how little I'm home, it isn't worth it.

However, when my cell phone was not functioning correctly (touch screen stopped working), I wouldn't have minded having a land line. It is a bit scary being at home and not being able to make or receive calls. Same goes for being on the road.

We've been considering getting a tracfone and leaving it plugged in all the time for a backup home line

 

[Beachboy]

I live in a small town, and the only internet provider is the phone company through their DSL. They won't allow you to drop the landline if you want to keep DSL. So you're kind of trapped. They also have the cable TV franchise, and cable internet is not available. Plus, being of the older generation, I'm uneasy relying on a cell phone solely. I have two cell phones, but just keep them in each car for emergencies. I don't keep them turned on, nor have I ever given out my cell numbers to anyone.

 

[Cujet]

I'm very glad I got rid of my "land line" and went to cell only.

 

[Samilcar]

We ditched our land line 7 years ago and have never regretted it. The number one plus? No telemarketer sales calls or political calls. Registering with the Do Not Call list pretty much solved the sales calls with the land line, but we still got inundated with political calls. Now, no political calls, even at this time of year. Just blessed silence.

 

[DBMaster]

^Except for "Rachel from Cardmember Services." This robo-dialing operation is an irritant to thousands of people every day and thus far the FTC and FCC have not been able to shut it down.

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: DBMaster
^Except for "Rachel from Cardmember Services." This robo-dialing operation is an irritant to thousands of people every day and thus far the FTC and FCC have not been able to shut it down.


Ugh I HATE that one. I get a call from "rachel from cardholder services" at least once a week.

 

[DBMaster]

Do a Google search on that phrase and you will see how pervasive it is. It violates the law - ignoring the do not call list, using automated dialer, calling cell phones...

My cell phone has a "blacklist" feature that allows me to block selective numbers. They get ringing and do not go to voice mail. I do not even know I got the calls. They spoof multiple numbers in caller ID and rotate those numbers. Thus far, in one year's time I have added 16 numbers to the blacklist. I do my duty and report the calls to the "Do not call" complaint site. I am sure there are plenty of complaints but these people seem to be operating outside the U.S.

 

[DragRace]

We dropped our LL phone years ago,been using MJ and have had no issues/problems.

 

[RTexasF]

We were apprehensive about dropping the land line also but did so. Now five years later we don't miss it one bit. The wireless router puts out a stronger signal inside the house than the cell towers in the area so WiFi works just fine for us. If there is a power loss the phones switch to the cell towers so there is still a decent signal. Most modern smartphones do this as a matter of course so in some cases a phone upgrade might be practical. Keeping a spare battery on two charged makes great sense.

 

[kb01]

In terms of blocking telemarketers, I created a Telemarketer contact, which justs send them straight to voicemail (Android). My phone doesn't ring and they never leave a message.

When it comes to 911, our county call center does have caller ID, and keeps addresses on file -- If you call them once, your home address will automatically come up on their computer for future calls. While it's not fool proof, I'd like to think an officer would be sent to the address on file, if I were to call and the dispatcher only hears moaning.

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

Originally Posted By: Beachboy
I live in a small town, and the only internet provider is the phone company through their DSL. They won't allow you to drop the landline if you want to keep DSL. So you're kind of trapped.


I have AT&T high speed DSL so AT&T makes me pay 5 bucks a month extra to keep the line open for DSL because I do not have a landline..In my neck of the woods I do not know anyone who has a landline anymore.

 

[Indydriver]

I didn't read through the whole thread so forgive me if this has been mentioned but, I've been told by numerous sources that if you have an alarm service that is monitored, it will not work without a LL. It is for this reason alone that we keep it around.

If anyone knows another solution, I'd love to hear it.

 

[RTexasF]

That is not correct. Our security system has been using wireless long prior to dropping our land line. We use Vivent currently but our prior provider also used wireless. It's quite common.