I think the point I was trying to make is with an internet router that provides WIFI, you do not need the local phone line if your cell provider offers WIFI connectivity.
Never heard of WAZE but google proved to be my friend again.
Dumping landline phone service?
- Thread starter Henro
- Start date
Never heard of WAZE but google proved to be my friend again.
My backhoe took care of our landline some 19 years ago. Have had Verizon for phone service much longer than that, but, our only source for Internet is through Rise Broadband and they suck. Multiple outages already this year, one where I had to hotspot for 3 days in order to work before they sent someone out to realign the CPE.
BUT, when it is working, up to 60 MBs download so we can watch Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, Disney and all the others. Since we do a LOT of Amazon purchases, the Prime fee is nothing for us and unlimited video streaming is included. Right now I pay $45 a month for the Internet service, but just upgraded my Verizon with a new Iphone 13 Pro Max and it included the Hulu and Disney packages for as long as I keep the unlimited package. It raised my Verizon bill up from $115 to $175 for 2 phones, but it was time for a new phone, my 7 YO iphone 6S was getting weak and I dropped it, cracking two corners, though I didn't notice until I took the cover off.
When I hear what others pay just for internet service, $46 for somewhat crappy service isn't bad at all. The LL was costing $75 a month back in 2003 and it would barely do 56k when I used dial up. When we moved out here the local CO had zero digital services, everything was analog, so I couldn't even get ISDN if I wanted it. Later on I found they ran fiber along a state road to the north of me, but apparently it is fiber to no where since there is no fiber internet services in the town.
All cellphones today use the built in GPS as location services, regardless of where the tower they connect to is. It is part of the mandatory E911 bill. If a tower is in the next state, your cell phones GPS will give the correct location for the responder who answers. If you have an older, non GPS phone, then suggest you upgrade, you don't want to be that guy in the ditch behind some bushes that will never be found because your phone wasn't E911 capable. I used to work for a VOIP provider and E911 was a MUST DO, fireable offense if missed thing! The problem with wifi calling though, your IP may show up in a completely different state because the call would be over the internet and not through a cell tower. My IP the other day came up as Denver Colorado, I live in Hellinois. For VOIP, the E911 would be tied to your address via your phone number, but for internet WIFI calling, it doesn't work that way because cell phones aren't tied to a VOIP E911 system with a static address. With that in mind, try to avoid calling 911 when in Wifi calling mode.
BUT, when it is working, up to 60 MBs download so we can watch Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, Disney and all the others. Since we do a LOT of Amazon purchases, the Prime fee is nothing for us and unlimited video streaming is included. Right now I pay $45 a month for the Internet service, but just upgraded my Verizon with a new Iphone 13 Pro Max and it included the Hulu and Disney packages for as long as I keep the unlimited package. It raised my Verizon bill up from $115 to $175 for 2 phones, but it was time for a new phone, my 7 YO iphone 6S was getting weak and I dropped it, cracking two corners, though I didn't notice until I took the cover off.
When I hear what others pay just for internet service, $46 for somewhat crappy service isn't bad at all. The LL was costing $75 a month back in 2003 and it would barely do 56k when I used dial up. When we moved out here the local CO had zero digital services, everything was analog, so I couldn't even get ISDN if I wanted it. Later on I found they ran fiber along a state road to the north of me, but apparently it is fiber to no where since there is no fiber internet services in the town.
All cellphones today use the built in GPS as location services, regardless of where the tower they connect to is. It is part of the mandatory E911 bill. If a tower is in the next state, your cell phones GPS will give the correct location for the responder who answers. If you have an older, non GPS phone, then suggest you upgrade, you don't want to be that guy in the ditch behind some bushes that will never be found because your phone wasn't E911 capable. I used to work for a VOIP provider and E911 was a MUST DO, fireable offense if missed thing! The problem with wifi calling though, your IP may show up in a completely different state because the call would be over the internet and not through a cell tower. My IP the other day came up as Denver Colorado, I live in Hellinois. For VOIP, the E911 would be tied to your address via your phone number, but for internet WIFI calling, it doesn't work that way because cell phones aren't tied to a VOIP E911 system with a static address. With that in mind, try to avoid calling 911 when in Wifi calling mode.
My phone is not even 1 year old, and it has a 508 area code telephone number registered to me at my business address in MA. Since it has a 508 originating telephone number, and I was parked in MA, then why did it get routed to the 911 operator in CT rather than to the 911 operator in MA? I was within 1 mile of the MA/CT state line.
Not quite true. During bad weather, cell towers are sometimes the first things that get bent or broken. Our LL is mostly buried fiber now, and that's also how we get our internet service. A UPS to back up the router/HPN and the TV, we can still keep in touch with the rest of the world when our cell phones have that infamous "No Service" indicator on the display. Admittedly, they're not down long, but they do go down. If I ever get off my butt and build the solar system I want, I'll have enough to run the LED lighting in the house as well as the TV, computers, and phone electronics for at least a day. BTW, the equipment I got from the phone company included a little UPS to keep the bridge up during power outages, and does well for about 14-15 hours. It's all dated now, and I want to do something about my dated contracts and costs anyway, so we're going through that number crunching exercise to look at 'cutting the cord'. We start to, then realize, all those streaming services to get the things we want to watch on TV added up will be nearly the same cost as our Uverse service. On the other hand, what I've noticed as a trend, the premium channels on cable services are rarely putting new material on. They're putting just enough on now, to keep those with the channels hooked and paying for it, because that channel is still a little bit less than their streaming options. But the variety and choices on streaming are getting all the attention and investment. I'm thinking that probably has a lot to do with the migration to smart phones and the folks that can't seem to live without being constantly connected. Me, I have a phone to use as a phone. The screen is too tiny and the sound is crap for me to bother trying to watch anything that resembles video. But I can still call anyone I want to, it has a nifty calculator, and a damned accurate and reliable clock. I may be a little more connected than I want to admit, but I can't ever see me connecting my phone to the TV so I can watch it.
Siri? Alexa? Google? Yeah, right, I wanna tie the whole world to my house. NOT!!!
THAT sounds like an issue with the 911 service or the cell tower providers service.
It could be your area is not fully upgraded yet, either due to population or some other factor, but for the majority of the country, it is the standard now to accurately provide location services from cell phones.
As I mentioned in my first post, there are cell antennas facing toward CT since there are no cell towers at all in our section of town that I know of. Our town is 56 square miles, and for most of it, there is no cell service. Possibly with 5G a lot of this will change, but there are a lot of people that are against 5 G antenna being placed close to homes and schools. Hard to believe that many communities banned cell towers when they were first becoming popular, and that is why the Federal Government enacted The Telecommunications Act of 1996 that prohibits towns from doing that now. In the beginning, all the carriers wanted as many towers as they could have. Today, many cell companies have no desire to erect costly towers in low population communities. Unlike a landline, where the landline phone companies must offer service to all (a law passed back in the 1930s) cell phone operators are under no such requirement.
I thought I registered my 911 location with my cell phone as my home address...am I wrong? Not sure how to check...
OrangeKrush
Well-known member
Equipment
BX2680, LA344 with Piranha tooth bar, LP PF 1242, LP Rear Blade, KK 60" BB
Lol I'm sure you probably have had to show a few how to use it too!
Welcome to the forum Mike!
By the way, I did not tell the wife I cancelled the land line.
Let's see how long it take for her to realize it.
Probably a long time, since she never uses it as she has her cell phone.
Let's see how long it take for her to realize it.
Probably a long time, since she never uses it as she has her cell phone.
Goz63
Well-known member
Equipment
Kubota L2501, LA525 loader, QH15,Land Pride RCR1860, BB2560, SGC0660, forks
Been through multiple hurricanes here and between internet and cell never had a single min of no coms. YMMV
Glad you have great service. I've suddenly had no signal in the middle of a beautiful sunny day. Probably low bidder hardware in the towers.
Yotekiller
Well-known member
Equipment
Kubota L2502, LP 60" BB, LP pallet forks, 60" KK Tiller, 55" HSI root grapple
You might as well dump it now. Carriers are forcing landlines out. I was a lineman for AT&T and they were starting to bill customers almost $1000 a month if they wanted a tradition old school analog phone line. It was their way of getting them to give the service up. It's dying technology....
How to Hack Your Old Phone Line into an Emergency Power Supply for Your Cell Phone
"Ahoy-hoy." If telephone titan Alexander Graham Bell had his way, we'd all be answering phones like Mr. Burns. Thankfully, frienemy Thomas Edison had enough sense to realize we weren't always on the briny. He preferred "hello" as our standard telephone greeting, which he is credited with coining...
smartphones.gadgethacks.com
There used to be a website selling 24V devices that ran off of the land line phone jacks. Radio, coffee grinder, flashlight etc. I remember laughing about a phone jack powered "personal vibrating massager" they advertised. I guess if you are getting screwed by ma Bell then you mind as well enjoy it...
I can report that we have not missed the land line at all since cancelling it...
Still have 1or 2 bars signal strength for an emergency, although 2 bars is on the second floor at the back of the house.
GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Some companies require business by fax for 'security' reasons. I 'called them on that' as Internet is far more secure and to prove the point I sent him a fax ,as we were talking...it looked official from the Oval office,correct phone number and other stuff.... even after that, they STILL needed a FAX !
My phone is VOIP, yup, if internet's 'down' so is the phone but TV work fine...on same cable...hmmmmmmm
I have ZERO need for a cell or so called smart device as unsecured compared to 'two wires' from Bell.
My phone is VOIP, yup, if internet's 'down' so is the phone but TV work fine...on same cable...hmmmmmmm
I have ZERO need for a cell or so called smart device as unsecured compared to 'two wires' from Bell.
I guess it is convenience as compared to need. There is actually great convenience having a cell with internet access and texting. Just for keeping in touch with family if nothing else. Can not do that with a landline if outside the house. OK, maybe with a cordless phone...within a few feet of the house.
Often we don't know what is positive about what we don't have to begin with.
Sometimes I think in general it was better not to know what we were missing...but I am there now, for better or worse...LOL
GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
I did own a cellphone ,once.... the 'brick' style that Radio Shack sold, used it for business when control panels needed to be programmed, that was 35 year ago.when I 'retired' so did the phone.
I now see generations of humans GLUED to their phones, can't live without them, truly sad, two thumbers that can't talk to others, write cursive, have physical hobbies.
What amazes me is that contractors allow their workers to use their phones on the job. Framers next door, 6 guys , someone was on the phone ALL the time...that's a LOT of wasted costly time that the new home owner pays for.
Yeah, I'm a dinosaur, can't get on FB Marketplace ( need cell..), turn wrenches in my garage or out helping other...all in neighbourhood know where I am, just listen for the Kubota !
I now see generations of humans GLUED to their phones, can't live without them, truly sad, two thumbers that can't talk to others, write cursive, have physical hobbies.
What amazes me is that contractors allow their workers to use their phones on the job. Framers next door, 6 guys , someone was on the phone ALL the time...that's a LOT of wasted costly time that the new home owner pays for.
Yeah, I'm a dinosaur, can't get on FB Marketplace ( need cell..), turn wrenches in my garage or out helping other...all in neighbourhood know where I am, just listen for the Kubota !
I've had a landline in the past. The phone is constantly tied up with scammers, sales people, telemarketers, high pressure sales, surveys (hundreds of those), etc. Most days I'd get off work, walk in, check the answering machine and there'd be between 30 and 70 missed calls a day, and typically about half that many messages left from the scams and such. I got sick of them and told them to cut the cord.
But if it weren't for that, I'd be happy to have a landline again, and a phone in the shop since cell does not work in the shop with the doors down.
But if it weren't for that, I'd be happy to have a landline again, and a phone in the shop since cell does not work in the shop with the doors down.
GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
My phone is a landline( VOIP on cable) and call display shows up between 1st and 2nd ring(that's how it works..). If I don't see a name or know the number, 3rd ring the real answering machine pickups.
I have much better things to do than to 'babysit' the phone
Amazing how many 'missed calls' I have.....99.44% are scammers of some sort. Very seldom does anyone leave a message.
I have much better things to do than to 'babysit' the phone
Amazing how many 'missed calls' I have.....99.44% are scammers of some sort. Very seldom does anyone leave a message.
I know the OP is good but anyone else wanting to cut costs and still keep a land line, OOMA is a great option of you have internet anyway. You can fax over it and I even used it for a legacy alarm system until we upgraded to a cell based one. At $6 something a month it's a great option for those that still can't cut the cord completely.