topic Re: Should I cut the cord...drawbacks? in The Lounge

Should I cut the cord...drawbacks?

Lar — Mon, 06 May 2019 18:50:30 GMT

I'm having a sheeet time with my Bell home phone. They are coming out for a third time tomorrow to try and fix things but I'm not holding out hope. Right now I have no dial tone for two days. They have suggested to let them come in and rewire the whole house for hundreds of $$ and buy all new phones. So I'm considering if they can't find the problem this time to just cut the cord and go straight mobile. That will mean no upstairs/downstairs phones so a little less convient if I forget the cell. Are there any drawbacks to cutting the cord and just having PM mobile? Thanks for your input in this decision. Cheers

Re: Should I cut the cord...drawbacks?

srlawren — Mon, 06 May 2019 20:02:29 GMT

@Lar this applies to calling only*: I have been mobile-only for my own personal use since 2010, and since 2016 that phone is also my only work phone (changed employers, these guys are mobile-only).

Drawbacks? I guess:

- like you said, only one device and you have to cart it around with you throughout the home

- exposure to cellular transmissions while on the phone - can mitigate using speakerphone and holding the phone away from you or placing in a nearby table, or use a headset

- if your battery dies you can't make/receive calls

- if there's a service disruption all your eggs are now in one basket

- with PM, you're limited to the 18 countries available via the 400 min LD add-on, so if you need to call elsehwere you'll need calling cards or use a data-based service

- that's about all I can think of but there are probably more.

Pros?:

- one bill (even if you have to crank your plan up a little to compensate--may or may not apply)

- one number for people to reach you at instead of guessing or trying one after the other

- less clutter of phones/base stations around your home

- your phone number follows you wherever you go (this may be a con if you're not a fan of being available all the time)

- home phones are so 20th century!!

I don't think I would go back personally, but everyone's needs are different.

* I still use Shaw for my TV and home inernet, with no plans to cut that cord in the foreseable future but would love to drop the TV part eventually and do all streaming all the time. 😉

Re: Should I cut the cord...drawbacks?

Lar — Mon, 06 May 2019 21:07:31 GMT

Thank you srlawren for the extensive reply. I feel better hearing about your experience. The "eggs in one backet" does spook me a bit but there is always wifi calls on an app if PM fails me for awhile. I did look at the $$$ advantage of dropping the landline and upping my PM plan, turns out to be enough to buy a new cell phone each year. Thanks again

Re: Should I cut the cord...drawbacks?

kselmak — Mon, 06 May 2019 23:03:07 GMT

I got rid of home phone in 2006 and got freephoneline as i always have internet

It is my homephone since 2008 and i haven't paid a cent since

They let you forward calls simultaneously to multiple numbers also they email any voicemail

I set it also also as sip account on my android native dialer, so i can call 'from home' off of my cell

You have to buy configuration file (around 90 i paid 50 in 2008 it went up, begfore that i was using their free software as i had a computer that was always on anyways) and if you want to use the oldschool headset or lines inn your house a voip box (about 30-50)

Check it out freephoneline.ca

Edit: im assuming you have high speed internet, you'll need more than 6m if you want to use internet fur anything else

Re: Should I cut the cord...drawbacks?

ckl — Mon, 06 May 2019 23:33:03 GMT

hello @Lar

I use a VOIP system in my house. The main reason is for the home security alarm. It needs to be able to connect to the central monitoring station. The VOIP system, if I don't get any incoming or outgoing calls is around $2.80/month. $2.00 for phone number renewal and the rest for E911.

Also, there are cordless phone sets that you can get that have bluetooth enabled. This allows the phone system to connect to your cell phone via bluetooth and you can make and receive calls with your cell phone without having your cell phone on you. All that is required is that the cell phone be near the base station. Here's the one I have:

https://www.vtechphones.com/design-technology/connect-to-cell

The one I have has one base station with voicemail and 3 other handsets that are just the handset with a charging station. The only drawback is that if the handsets are far away from the base station or located through many many walls, it will sometimes lose connection. Other drawbacks is that it is voice calls only. So if you get text messages or social media notifications, the cordless system will not notify you of this. Nor will it be able to send text messages or other tasks besides voice calls.

Other than that, it can handle both landline and cell phone calls independently. You just need to press the appropriate button to make calls from different lines.

Hope that helps.

Re: Should I cut the cord...drawbacks?

Anonymous — Tue, 07 May 2019 07:30:52 GMT

@Lar

I've been doing fine with the Telus Home Phone. It uses cellular to get out but you connect a cabled phone to it and it acts like a normal old landline. Connect to a multi-handset cordless set instead and you can have phones around the house again.

$10

Rock & roll.

Remember too that with the old landline that 911 will still work even though you don't pay for any service.

Re: Should I cut the cord...drawbacks?

Lar — Sun, 12 May 2019 13:44:17 GMT

I had a little health incident and fell off the internet for awhile. I wanted to come back and bravo all of you members who spent the time to share your thoughts on the subject. Thank you all.

Cheers

Re: Should I cut the cord...drawbacks?

will13am — Sun, 12 May 2019 13:59:13 GMT

I have dumped my landline in favor of wireless home phone for about 8 years. Wireless home phone is 100% compatible with cordless phones and the signal can be backfed into the house wiring to operate existing wall jacks if desired. A lot of people still carry this belief that a landline is the most reliable. That simply isn't true universally anymore. The number of people that have cut the cord has left that infrastructure back in the 20th century. These days with so many people going wireless exclusively, the wireless infrastructure is very reliable and has sufficient resilience to overtake landline as the best choice for home phone.

Re: Should I cut the cord...drawbacks?

brother_gadget — Tue, 14 May 2019 12:50:26 GMT

I have only one comment about cutting the cord. SPAM calls. I am so sick of getting hustled by every spammer out there i keep my landline for registration online as I find most websites sell the contact info. I don't blame them for the revenue stream. but I am tired of having someone from Bangladesh interrupting my meals and offering to fix non-existant problems on my computer.

Just something to think about.

Re: Should I cut the cord...drawbacks?

will13am — Tue, 14 May 2019 13:41:54 GMT

@brother_gadget wrote:
I have only one comment about cutting the cord. SPAM calls. I am so sick of getting hustled by every spammer out there i keep my landline for registration online as I find most websites sell the contact info. I don't blame them for the revenue stream. but I am tired of having someone from Bangladesh interrupting my meals and offering to fix non-existant problems on my computer.
Just something to think about.

My wireless home phone is a $10 answering machine solution. I review calls in the evening when I get home. Spammers are completely welcome to fill my voice mail. It can take up to 10 calls before it fills up. So far, I have not received calls at such a prolific rate on a daily basis.

Re: Should I cut the cord...drawbacks?

CellGirl — Thu, 16 May 2019 12:26:14 GMT

@Lar

cut Bell from your life -- best decision you'll make this year 🙂 I did it years ago, no regrets. I recommend as a backup, you install a VoIP app on your cell phone that you would use with wifi, eg, fongo, VoIPCheap, etc. in case you were to ever lose cell service temporarily. So far, I'm happy with public mobile's service 😄

Re: Should I cut the cord...drawbacks?

kselmak — Thu, 16 May 2019 13:39:22 GMT

@brother_gadget wrote:
I have only one comment about cutting the cord. SPAM calls. I am so sick of getting hustled by every spammer out there i keep my landline for registration online as I find most websites sell the contact info. I don't blame them for the revenue stream. but I am tired of having someone from Bangladesh interrupting my meals and offering to fix non-existant problems on my computer.
Just something to think about.

Open Fongo or textnow account it's totally free and they give you legitimate Canadian number you can use for signups

Texynow lets you receive and send sms for free as well, that's what i use for virtually everything. I have one account that i keep on my cell just in case of loss of service and presence of wifi. Another one is purely for spam, everything but cra gets that 647 number

Re: Should I cut the cord...drawbacks?

pm-smayer97 — Tue, 21 May 2019 14:35:24 GMT

Though not frequent, the biggest drawback in my mind is when there is a severe situation, like an ice storm. Then you have cell towers go down... no voice, no data, no VOIP. The only reliable system is landline. Been through that.

Other drawback is if you have a family with kids, so they do not have have cell phones, so need a home-based central phone. Landline fits the bill the best.

Re: Should I cut the cord...drawbacks?

GinYVR — Tue, 21 May 2019 18:16:49 GMT

@Lar I think one thing to consider that no one so far have mentioned is have you consider how important is 911 to you. ie for first responders to be able to find you.

Obviously it depends the health of people living in your residence.

Another factor is where you live eg in a city in an apartment / townhouse complex / coach house etc or in the country where everyone knows everyone. Urban environment like coach houses etc might make first responders harder to find you.

Another factor is the system your municipal 911 is on. Some can triangulate cell phones, others might be absolutely clueless where you are.

Landline might be archaic, but it gives the dispatcher your precise location (vs triangulation for cell phones even with the best and latest equipment), just that fact is useful if your are depending on those extra seconds.

Re: Should I cut the cord...drawbacks?

Anonymous — Tue, 21 May 2019 21:39:30 GMT

@GinYVR wrote:
@Lar I think one thing to consider that no one so far have mentioned is have you consider how important is 911 to you. ie for first responders to be able to find you.

Obviously it depends the health of people living in your residence.

Another factor is where you live eg in a city in an apartment / townhouse complex / coach house etc or in the country where everyone knows everyone. Urban environment like coach houses etc might make first responders harder to find you.

Another factor is the system your municipal 911 is on. Some can triangulate cell phones, others might be absolutely clueless where you are.

Landline might be archaic, but it gives the dispatcher your precise location (vs triangulation for cell phones even with the best and latest equipment), just that fact is useful if your are depending on those extra seconds.

Remember that like with cell phones, a landline does not need to be active with paid service. If you attach a basic corded phone to an un-subscribed landline outlet where you're not paying anybody for landline service...you can still call 911.

Re: Should I cut the cord...drawbacks?

pm-smayer97 — Wed, 22 May 2019 01:40:27 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@GinYVR wrote:
@Lar I think one thing to consider that no one so far have mentioned is have you consider how important is 911 to you. ie for first responders to be able to find you.

Obviously it depends the health of people living in your residence.

Another factor is where you live eg in a city in an apartment / townhouse complex / coach house etc or in the country where everyone knows everyone. Urban environment like coach houses etc might make first responders harder to find you.

Another factor is the system your municipal 911 is on. Some can triangulate cell phones, others might be absolutely clueless where you are.

Landline might be archaic, but it gives the dispatcher your precise location (vs triangulation for cell phones even with the best and latest equipment), just that fact is useful if your are depending on those extra seconds.
Remember that like with cell phones, a landline does not need to be active with paid service. If you attach a basic corded phone to an un-subscribed landline outlet where you're not paying anybody for landline service...you can still call 911.

That's a new one on me. How does that work if there is no dial tone?

Re: Should I cut the cord...drawbacks?

Anonymous — Wed, 22 May 2019 02:29:34 GMT

@pm-smayer97 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@GinYVR wrote:
@Lar I think one thing to consider that no one so far have mentioned is have you consider how important is 911 to you. ie for first responders to be able to find you.

Obviously it depends the health of people living in your residence.

Another factor is where you live eg in a city in an apartment / townhouse complex / coach house etc or in the country where everyone knows everyone. Urban environment like coach houses etc might make first responders harder to find you.

Another factor is the system your municipal 911 is on. Some can triangulate cell phones, others might be absolutely clueless where you are.

Landline might be archaic, but it gives the dispatcher your precise location (vs triangulation for cell phones even with the best and latest equipment), just that fact is useful if your are depending on those extra seconds.
Remember that like with cell phones, a landline does not need to be active with paid service. If you attach a basic corded phone to an un-subscribed landline outlet where you're not paying anybody for landline service...you can still call 911.
That's a new one on me. How does that work if there is no dial tone?

Your location has to have 911 service to begin with. With the vast majority of people being in more populated areas they're going to have 911 service. If you have no dial tone then maybe it wouldn't work. I can't say as I've tested it though. "Oh hey you answered - how 'bout that - this thing works". No I haven't done that. It's what I understand to be the case. There's no dial tone with a cell phone either and it will work without a SIM installed.

Re: Should I cut the cord...drawbacks?

GinYVR — Wed, 22 May 2019 06:47:41 GMT

LOL landline doesn't work like wireless.. when you cut off the line, a technician will switch off the line power to your location; you won't get a dial tone, so you wont' be able to reach 911.

@Anonymous wrote:
@pm-smayer97 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@GinYVR wrote:
@Lar I think one thing to consider that no one so far have mentioned is have you consider how important is 911 to you. ie for first responders to be able to find you.

Obviously it depends the health of people living in your residence.

Another factor is where you live eg in a city in an apartment / townhouse complex / coach house etc or in the country where everyone knows everyone. Urban environment like coach houses etc might make first responders harder to find you.

Another factor is the system your municipal 911 is on. Some can triangulate cell phones, others might be absolutely clueless where you are.

Landline might be archaic, but it gives the dispatcher your precise location (vs triangulation for cell phones even with the best and latest equipment), just that fact is useful if your are depending on those extra seconds.
Remember that like with cell phones, a landline does not need to be active with paid service. If you attach a basic corded phone to an un-subscribed landline outlet where you're not paying anybody for landline service...you can still call 911.
That's a new one on me. How does that work if there is no dial tone?
Your location has to have 911 service to begin with. With the vast majority of people being in more populated areas they're going to have 911 service. If you have no dial tone then maybe it wouldn't work. I can't say as I've tested it though. "Oh hey you answered - how 'bout that - this thing works". No I haven't done that. It's what I understand to be the case. There's no dial tone with a cell phone either and it will work without a SIM installed.

Re: Should I cut the cord...drawbacks?

Anonymous — Wed, 22 May 2019 12:50:40 GMT

@GinYVR wrote:
LOL landline doesn't work like wireless.. when you cut off the line, a technician will switch off the line power to your location; you won't get a dial tone, so you wont' be able to reach 911.

@Anonymous wrote:
@pm-smayer97 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@GinYVR wrote:
@Lar I think one thing to consider that no one so far have mentioned is have you consider how important is 911 to you. ie for first responders to be able to find you.

Obviously it depends the health of people living in your residence.

Another factor is where you live eg in a city in an apartment / townhouse complex / coach house etc or in the country where everyone knows everyone. Urban environment like coach houses etc might make first responders harder to find you.

Another factor is the system your municipal 911 is on. Some can triangulate cell phones, others might be absolutely clueless where you are.

Landline might be archaic, but it gives the dispatcher your precise location (vs triangulation for cell phones even with the best and latest equipment), just that fact is useful if your are depending on those extra seconds.
Remember that like with cell phones, a landline does not need to be active with paid service. If you attach a basic corded phone to an un-subscribed landline outlet where you're not paying anybody for landline service...you can still call 911.
That's a new one on me. How does that work if there is no dial tone?
Your location has to have 911 service to begin with. With the vast majority of people being in more populated areas they're going to have 911 service. If you have no dial tone then maybe it wouldn't work. I can't say as I've tested it though. "Oh hey you answered - how 'bout that - this thing works". No I haven't done that. It's what I understand to be the case. There's no dial tone with a cell phone either and it will work without a SIM installed.

Apparently I stand corrected. Oh well. I thought it was required.

Re: Should I cut the cord...drawbacks?

stonechucker — Thu, 23 May 2019 00:26:43 GMT

OST VoIP services have an e911 system setup to assign an address to the connection. This doesn’t work unless the number is always used at the assigned location.

if using e911 on a cellular VoIP system, the triangulation would be better for reliance, but you should always give your location vocalaly to the 911 service, if you can.