Money magazine tells us that a 2006 study reveals about one in eight American adults (26 million) live in households with no land line — they rely solely on a mobile phone. This is up dramatically versus three years earlier when only 2.9 percent had no fixed line. And in the next five years, nearly one in three U.S. households says they’ll cut the cord. — FREE MONEY FINANCE
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I only have a cell phone because
1) of the hate for Bell South
2) it’s expensive to have both a cell and a land line
3) given the choice I’d rather be able to call for help where ever I happen to be
When I moved to a new city last fall, I got a friend of mine who woks for my local Telco to crunch the numbers and getting only a cell worked out to be slightly cheaper than getting only a land line, so that’s what I did. And I have not gotten a single telemarketing call since I made the switch.
@Buran:
They are “discontinuing” the level of service I have. If I do not switch to a “current” (read: more expensive) phone service, they are going to terminate my service as of November 13th.
I’m not the only one, they are doing it nationwide. I don’t know why its not getting more attention.
I must have a cellphone besides my landline. I get phone calls from my “clients” (So funny, I am still not used to that word) or “new clients” for meetings and/or showing my portfolio with my art work when I am not at home. If I can afford both, I will have both, or in other hand I will cut my services with Qwest telephone services. Sometimes I call my relatives in England, it is much cheaper to use my landline…
Payphone? What’s a payphone? I paid for my phone, does that count?
But seriously, we have an unlimited LD plan on our landline, which beats any cell plan. This is great for when the teenager needs to call the whole town (and sometimes country) and talk all night. Plus, it makes for cheaper DSL.
Landline is also very useful when the power goes out for 4 days straight as it did out here in Seattle area this past winter. Especially after the cell towers’ backup generators (apparently) ran out. Sure, we had to dig a standalone (i.e. non-cordless) phone out of the closet, but it worked.
Having at least a land-line in your permanent residence is a good idea since you can have a non-powered phone still work if the power in your neighborhood goes down, since enough power flows over the phone line to make calls (assuming the phone company still has power, which it should). Also in an emergency it’s nice to be able to have a phone in every room rather than stumble around in a panic for your cell or wireless.
Also, just for info, land-line to me means a dedicated phone line, not VoIP. But that’s just my personal definition.
@krom: My parents just got unlimited LD on their land line. I didn’t even know it was being offered. Most of my parents’ family (including me) lives outside their local calling area, so they’re lovin’ it.
I have not had a landline in some 8 years, I think. 5 through 8 years ago I used my then-roommate’s cellphone whenever I needed to make a call. 5 years ago I got my own cellphone and moved to a new city.
I only have a landline and have no intention of ever buying a cell phone. I don’t understand the need to be constantly connected to others. To me, it seems more like a leash than a convenience.
If I ever have an employer who requires me to have a cell, then they can foot the bill for it.
Bonus: Not only that, but I rarely use my cordless phone at my house. Calls sound much more clear through the phone with the cord, so I prefer using it for important calls. This phone is also amazingly useful during power outages.
@Ickypoopy: And they aren’t grandfathering you? Normally you get the current rate … until you change something. Hope you drop them for not doing the right thing.
For the most part, I’m cell phone only. I’m at college and renting a house, and we have a landline here (included in rent) that my roommates use occasionally, but the only time I use it is when the phone rings and I’m nearest to it (which isn’t often either). But I use my cell phone for everything, so I’m cell only. The landline doesn’t have long distance service (most of my family and friends are long distance). And for local numbers, using it means getting off my lazy ass, going into the living room, grabbing the cordless phone, and coming back to my room. Whereas using my cell phone means moving my hand about 6 inches away from my mouse and grabbing it.
When I’m out on my own, I have no intention of getting a landline. I never come close to using up all my cell minutes each month. And if I ever do, depending on usage, I’d either up my plan or get Vonage or something like that. I refuse to give AT&T my money and they’re the only landline provider around here.
I HAD cellphone only, then went to landline. Because of cost. I’m paying $40 a month for a landline with all the goodies & unlimited minutes, no matter when I call. For a cellphone plan for me & my fiancé, to duplicate that – or at least come close enough with enough anytime minutes – you have to shell out $80-90. We DO have cellphones though I voted landline only, but we use them only for emergencies, paying like $7 both both lines (prepaid Virgin Mobile) per month.
I just can’t understand why so many people throw so much money away on cellphone plans unnecessarily. At one point it made sense for me and I’m sure it still makes sense for some, but….
such a high number? I think people are just paying the premium to be cool a lil’ bit. For us, $60 is cheaper than $100, and what’s especially cool is it’s cheaper AND better quality. hooray!
Cellphone only. Landline is a waste for me. My family is all long distance, and they have the same carrier so my calls to them are totally free when I call their cellphone, most of my friends have the same carrier as well. On top of that, I don’t use the phone enough to spend a bunch of money on it. The lowest price plan from my provider gives me more than enough minutes for the month. Having a land line with long distance would be roughly the same cost. I’d rather have the cell phone than the land line phone, since it’s more convenient.
@hoo_foot: Personally, I think it’s convenient. Running late for something? Lost and need directions? No need to look around for a pay phone. Waiting for an important call? No need to be stuck inside all day waiting for it. Car breaks down on the side of the road? No need to walk or wait for someone to come by. Plus there’s other things you can do, like have Google Calendar send you a text message as a reminder of something you have to do which is good for people like me that easily forget stuff.
I personally don’t buy the argument that it’s a leash. Don’t want to be in contact? Leave it at home or turn it off.
note: Not a shill for cellphones. I don’t think they are a necessity, but they are extremely convenient.
I get a landline for free with my cable tv and internet, it’s cheaper to take the phone service than to not take the service.
I don’t know the number and I don’t own any devices to plug into the phone jack.
My roommate and I rent a house and our landlords have to have a landline phone for insurance purposes. However, we both mainly use our cell phones and hardly ever use the house phone.
I’ve always had a landline. I’m 40 and that’s what was at my parents house, apartment, and now my house. I will not cancel it because the cost is low, if I ever have to dial 911 they’ll see my address on the screen, and if the power goes out they still work. I do have a cell, but don’t want that to be my only communication method. Living in Calif if there is an earthquake cell towers could be down and then I’d really be stuck.
@EtherealStrife: I hear that, the only time I see a check or stamp is when I am submitting or receiving a rebate (with the exception of a couple of bills that charge to pay online).
I only had a cell phone until I realized I could lower my cable bill by $30 a month by signing up for the package deal that came with a land line. So now I have a landline. But I don’t have a decent phone to hook up to it, so I never use it.
@Ickypoopy: “How neccesary are phones today?”
Speaking only for myself, they’re darned important. I work in disaster services and being able to be reached is a necessity. When the cellphone networks fail, I have land-line backup. When that fails, there’s trunked radio, backed up by RACES/ARES, which in turn are backed up by runners and legal pads.
Granted, that’s the extreme. 99.9% of the time, when the call comes in the Internet is up and running, but my using cellphones and landlines I’m not tied to a computer. Technology should free us, not shackle us. For some, I carry an electronic leash, but for me it allows me to live my life and still remain responsive.
Where’s VoIP in the list? Cell + VoIP here. There’s a landline here, but it’s paid for by my insurance co and goes to the alarm system. e911 works fine with my VoIP setup and if all else fails, everything reverts back to the landline, but that’s not happened thus far.
I have only had a cellphone for the last 7 years until we moved into this apartment. It has a door buzzer system and we need to be able to buzz people in when they come visit or deliver food! Since we have out of state phone numbers on our cell phones and we didn’t want to change them, we opted for a $10 a month landline.