Comments on: Ditch your landline telephone http://johnbiehler.com/2009/08/02/ditch-your-landline-telephone/ Technology, mobile, photography, travel and anything else I find interesting Tue, 22 May 2012 18:23:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: John http://johnbiehler.com/2009/08/02/ditch-your-landline-telephone/comment-page-1/#comment-56159 John Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:38:27 +0000 http://johnbiehler.com/?p=2261#comment-56159 I guess cheap long distance is relative to the total cost...$0.02 - $0.05 a minute versus the cost of a landline + LD plan - I guess it really depends on how many minutes a month before you break even. I was also under the impression the whole baby/911 thing was a non-issue nowadays as the 911 location based systems are much better (and mandated by the government to be that way). I don't have kids so it's never been an issue for us. There are a number of gadgets out there now that let you connect your cellphone via bluetooth to a base station that you can connect a regular phone (cordless or otherwise). Friends have these and they cost about $20-30 and it basically just turns your cordless phone into a bluetooth headset. Probably a lot better for kid use than your iPhone. I guess cheap long distance is relative to the total cost…$0.02 – $0.05 a minute versus the cost of a landline + LD plan – I guess it really depends on how many minutes a month before you break even.

I was also under the impression the whole baby/911 thing was a non-issue nowadays as the 911 location based systems are much better (and mandated by the government to be that way). I don’t have kids so it’s never been an issue for us.

There are a number of gadgets out there now that let you connect your cellphone via bluetooth to a base station that you can connect a regular phone (cordless or otherwise). Friends have these and they cost about $20-30 and it basically just turns your cordless phone into a bluetooth headset. Probably a lot better for kid use than your iPhone.

]]> By: Kevin Haggerty http://johnbiehler.com/2009/08/02/ditch-your-landline-telephone/comment-page-1/#comment-56158 Kevin Haggerty Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:01:29 +0000 http://johnbiehler.com/?p=2261#comment-56158 Agree with Lloyd - we keep our landline around for the '911 factor'. That and cheap LD - my wife talks on the phone a lot! Also, don't really like the idea of my 3 year old son using my cell phone on those rare occasions that he actually talks on the phone. Agree with Lloyd – we keep our landline around for the ’911 factor’. That and cheap LD – my wife talks on the phone a lot! Also, don’t really like the idea of my 3 year old son using my cell phone on those rare occasions that he actually talks on the phone.

]]> By: Lloyd Budd http://johnbiehler.com/2009/08/02/ditch-your-landline-telephone/comment-page-1/#comment-55735 Lloyd Budd Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:46:34 +0000 http://johnbiehler.com/?p=2261#comment-55735 Yak.ca sounds good! When J was pregnant we got a landline for the 1st time in years. The old copper system is handy in emergencies. Yak.ca sounds good!

When J was pregnant we got a landline for the 1st time in years. The old copper system is handy in emergencies.

]]> By: Tyler Ingram http://johnbiehler.com/2009/08/02/ditch-your-landline-telephone/comment-page-1/#comment-55656 Tyler Ingram Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:27:18 +0000 http://johnbiehler.com/?p=2261#comment-55656 @Kyler - that's what we thought too, but they said we had to tie it to our landline number. Perhaps I'll pester our building manager again when I see him next. Though our building was built in 1965 or something perhaps its a bit dated? *shrug* @Kyler – that’s what we thought too, but they said we had to tie it to our landline number. Perhaps I’ll pester our building manager again when I see him next. Though our building was built in 1965 or something perhaps its a bit dated? *shrug*

]]> By: Kyler http://johnbiehler.com/2009/08/02/ditch-your-landline-telephone/comment-page-1/#comment-55654 Kyler Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:02:43 +0000 http://johnbiehler.com/?p=2261#comment-55654 Landline? What's a landline? LOL We've also been landline free for over three years. @Tyler: Maybe your building works differently, but in ours the buzzer connection is local. All we have to do is have a phone plugged into the telephone wall socket to answer the buzzer (no need to actually subscribe to a telephone service). Landline? What’s a landline? LOL
We’ve also been landline free for over three years.

@Tyler: Maybe your building works differently, but in ours the buzzer connection is local. All we have to do is have a phone plugged into the telephone wall socket to answer the buzzer (no need to actually subscribe to a telephone service).

]]> By: May C http://johnbiehler.com/2009/08/02/ditch-your-landline-telephone/comment-page-1/#comment-55651 May C Sun, 02 Aug 2009 16:49:22 +0000 http://johnbiehler.com/?p=2261#comment-55651 I've been landline free for about 3 years now. My main reason at the time was that most of the calls I got at home were telemarketers and I felt it was ridiculous to keep it and be annoyed with telemarketer calls. Also, it was cheaper to get a cellular phone since I have it with me everywhere and won't need to miss a call when I'm not home. I use Skype to call long distance and around time and it works for me. Of course, the main problem with this choice is that when the power or internet is down, I'm kind of stuck. I’ve been landline free for about 3 years now. My main reason at the time was that most of the calls I got at home were telemarketers and I felt it was ridiculous to keep it and be annoyed with telemarketer calls. Also, it was cheaper to get a cellular phone since I have it with me everywhere and won’t need to miss a call when I’m not home.

I use Skype to call long distance and around time and it works for me. Of course, the main problem with this choice is that when the power or internet is down, I’m kind of stuck.

]]> By: Stewart Marshall http://johnbiehler.com/2009/08/02/ditch-your-landline-telephone/comment-page-1/#comment-55650 Stewart Marshall Sun, 02 Aug 2009 16:46:18 +0000 http://johnbiehler.com/?p=2261#comment-55650 I've been on Vonage for about a year now. I have a cellphone plan which is good inside Canada, my wife has the lowest cellphone plan we could find. Vonage works for me as it's unlimited North American Calls and unlimited to the UK which we use every so often for family/friends. I was part of a Start-up back in 2000 which used the call back approach you described. I've also tried Shaw Digital Phone, which is to my mind a fake VOIP offering (when we moved we had to change our number? how digital is that). If I wanted to I could take my vonage with me when we travel and get the calls free wherever I was. I don't know that its the best offering around, but it works well enough. I've never understood why I should pay $50 - $60 a month for a traditional landline. I’ve been on Vonage for about a year now. I have a cellphone plan which is good inside Canada, my wife has the lowest cellphone plan we could find.

Vonage works for me as it’s unlimited North American Calls and unlimited to the UK which we use every so often for family/friends.

I was part of a Start-up back in 2000 which used the call back approach you described. I’ve also tried Shaw Digital Phone, which is to my mind a fake VOIP offering (when we moved we had to change our number? how digital is that).

If I wanted to I could take my vonage with me when we travel and get the calls free wherever I was. I don’t know that its the best offering around, but it works well enough.

I’ve never understood why I should pay $50 – $60 a month for a traditional landline.

]]> By: Tyler Ingram http://johnbiehler.com/2009/08/02/ditch-your-landline-telephone/comment-page-1/#comment-55649 Tyler Ingram Sun, 02 Aug 2009 16:37:42 +0000 http://johnbiehler.com/?p=2261#comment-55649 We both have cellphones without a landline. The only issues I see not having a landline are (for us anyway): - we cannot buzz people into our apartment building when they are visiting. Our building manager won't allow us to use our cellphones. It would be fun to be able to let someone into our building when we are not at our building ;) - You have to make sure your cellphone is always has a charge! But then I guess more people are using a cordless landline phone these days too so I guess they too would have to worry. Though we do save like $40 a month not having a landline! HAH, take that Telus! We both have cellphones without a landline. The only issues I see not having a landline are (for us anyway):
- we cannot buzz people into our apartment building when they are visiting. Our building manager won’t allow us to use our cellphones. It would be fun to be able to let someone into our building when we are not at our building ;)
- You have to make sure your cellphone is always has a charge! But then I guess more people are using a cordless landline phone these days too so I guess they too would have to worry.

Though we do save like $40 a month not having a landline! HAH, take that Telus!

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