Land lines or cell phones

[Katrina1968]

We just recently decided that we no longer wanted a house phone. It was costing too much AND we were just fielding calls. Now we only use our cell phones and the peace is AMAZING!

[Talisman]

Strange, as most people I know would say the opposite - I get fed up with the constant noise of ringing mobiles and people chattering away in public at 100 decibals (I am sure you are not like that) - I do NOT want to know the intimate details of their private life and wish they would keep it private.

 

Personally I keep my mobile purely for emergencies, and for when I am on holiday and need to ring home. Other than that, I agree with the BT ad - if a conversations worth having use your landline. If it works for you though ...

[Pixie]

I agree with Talisman on this one. I have a cell phone for emergencies only. I have no need to chat with someone wherever I go, and I find people that are constantly on their cell phone in public an annoyance. Every time I am out at a store, waiting in line to make my purchases, there is always someone in front of me holding up the line because he or she is not paying attention and gabbing away on the cellphone. Then there are the ones that use the cell phone while driving, and pay no attention to the road and have no consideration for the lives they may be putting in jeopardy.

 

I'm not saying all cell phone users are like this, but it's very common here in America, and I live in a small town! This is a pet peeve of mine. Maybe it has nothing really to do with the cell phones. Maybe these people are just inconsiderate of others no matter what. But it just seems like a lot of people feel like they can't go anywhere without a phone on their ear, and this is just not true. It's hard to engage positively and warmly with those you come across when their ear and mind are focused somewhere else.

 

I apologize for the rant.

Edited December 5, 2010 by Pixie

[Nollaig]

My parents don't have a landline and neither do I. Haven't in years.

 

In one way I kind of miss it, but in another way, I hate speaking on phones anyway, and when answering a landline you could be getting anyone looking for anyone in the house. With my mobile, I know it's someone looking for me, that I have given my number to.

 

Also, instead of ringing a household looking for someone, I can ring the person directly. I hate ringing households and asking for people.

 

So to be honest I love my mobile and I'm perfectly happy for my family to be accesible only by mobile too.

 

I do chat on my mobile in public, but I'm not loud or obnoxious about it at all.

 

I don't really understand that BT tagline - if a conversation is specifically worth having, it's PROBABLY worth having face to face over a cup of tea, but that's not always convenient, nor is a landline, so what's wrong with having it on a mobile?

[pontalba]

We have both at present. Living more than 10 miles from the small town as we do. As luck would have it, we are in-between cell towers. Now, I'd have thought that would make for twice the coverage...NO! We have spotty coverage for cell phones from both towers. So we keep the land line for present and AT&T rakes in extra. I'd never had a cell phone till we moved up here from New Orleans, but it was a safety thing. If you're on a fairly deserted highway at night, believe me, that cell phone is a lifeline. Also, I need to be reached for business purposes, if a tenant needs me for an emergency, they are able to reach me anytime, anywhere.

 

It seems the coverage is improving, so when we feel fairly safe with it, I'll cancel the land line in a flash! I know some people use a cell phone inappropriately - while driving, or loudly in public discussing their private matters. Boy, it irritates me no end, I really don't want to know about their operations, or aches and pains, or indiscretions for that matter.

[pickle]

I have both but have been considering getting rid of my land line as its very expensive and I hardly use it mostly just to ring my folks and I am fed up of getting cold calls.

 

I love my mobile though its really useful but I tend to use it very little in public to talk on as mostly I text unless of course its something really important

[SaraPepparkaka]

We don't have a land line. My parents don't have a land line. My sister has only a cell. My brother has only a cell. We did have a land line some years ago but nobody ever called that number, and we certainly didn't use it..

 

 

[Katrina1968]

pixie, I hate cold calls with a passion! I signed us up for the "do not call" list and it worked pretty well except for the occasional pushy "bill" collector who had no leg to stand on. Then there was the bill collector who would place 10 calls a day. Excuse me, this will NOT cause you to get paid faster and I can do with less stress in my life, thankyeverymuch.... When we disconnected the landline the only nonfamily member with our cell number are the daycare, high school, job, doctors offices and mortgage company. Everyone else will have to write!

 

Even at home I was not one to talk too much. I mean, I would look at the phone ringing and have to decided whether to answer or not. If I answered, it was out of obligation and not because I really wanted to talk. If I have a desire to talk, I call. I'm just not that chatty! I will speak longest to my mom and one close friend. The rest are quick conversations with the kids and hubby.

 

I can't STAND how rude people are on the phone! I have had to tell people coming into my bookstore to tone it down, especially when they are loudly using foul language. If you come to my counter for checkout while on the phone, you get bare bones customer service, no greeting, money on the counter and then I turn my back to do something else or warmly greet the next customer. Trust me, they notice the difference!

 

Anyway, we decided we were only paying for a phone service that we didnt use or was constantly dodging. I didnt like checking voice mail either always bad news. Why pay for fielding calls?

 

The best news? No more family ringing the house phone asking my hubby to do things:mrgreen: ! Funny they can call the land line all day long but can't be bothered to call the cell... go figure!

[poppy]

Cell phones calls are very expensive here (89 cents per minute) so I only use it for texting and the land line for talking.

[Talisman]

The point about the BT ad was made very eloquently by Pixie - very often when people are out and about using their mobile, they are doing other things at the same time - in the ad he is loading the car up for example, in the pub and so on. You cannot have an important conversation, in fact I don't think you can have a conversation full stop with someone unless you have their complete attention. If you are talking to them while they are doing something else, you do not have their complete attention, but probably less than half of it.

 

I can understand the idea of not having to deal with cold calls (you can always have your name removed from such things - we have), and the idea that you know that calls to your mobile will actually be for you, but for me personally, landline is still best. Mobile phone only would not work for me anyway, as the signal can be a bit patchy where we live - Vodafone and Orange are about the only networks that work here.

[Nollaig]

Ahhh right now I getcha.

 

Even if I was on a landline, I'd be doing other stuff at the same time. I used to sit by the phone with my laptop when my parents had one

[Katrina1968]

As for the cold calls, I found that politicians did not feel the need to adhere to the law. During the elections our phone was ringing off the hook with calls from Republicans,Democrats and Others reminding us to vote. What gave them the right to disregard our request to not get solicitation calls?

[Pixie]

As for the cold calls, I found that politicians did not feel the need to adhere to the law. During the elections our phone was ringing off the hook with calls from Republicans,Democrats and Others reminding us to vote. What gave them the right to disregard our request to not get solicitation calls?

Exactly what I thought, Katrina.

[madcow]

I have both but to be perfectly honest I use my mobile the most. Hubby prefers he landline, he's a bit of a technophobe when it comes to mobiles he has my cast offs for emmergencies only and as a rule usually forgets to take it out with him! I'm not one for talking loudly in public and I too hate people who broadcast every detail to all and sundry. As part of my broadband/tv/phone package I need the landline but rarely make calls on it.

[Echo]

I haven't had a land line in years, and my older brother just has one so his DSL internet will work. It's so much easier to have just one phone to worry about (and pay for!).

[Katrina1968]

I thought we had to keep the landline for internet also but we don't! We use Centurylink (formerly Sprint) and we just pay for the internet now.

[lauraloves]

We have both, the landline gets used for calling up relatives and for the 'expensive' calls like ringing up the phone comapany, paying bills etc (and the very important matter of voting on the X Factor )

 

I've got unlimited texts on my mobile so I don't really call, only text, but its quite handy for other people cos I'm hardly ever at home to get hold of.

[Kell]

I hate phones full stop. That said, mobile phones are very handy for emergencies and if it's just a quick enquiry, I'm' more likely to fire off a text than speak to someone on the phone as my ears overheat and get sore very quickly, and I'm not really one for chatting on the phone (I'd rather do it in person), so I don't really use the phone much at all. That said, I do call my Mam once a week on a Sunday night, but I always use the landline for that, as we're on the phone at least half an hour and she's on our friends and family list and in the UK and it's a weekend evening call, so it's free.

[Amesy]

I don't use a land-line at all. Everything I do is done through the mobile. I've got an exceptionally good contract with T-Mobile that gets me £180 worth of calls and texts a month, to any number, for only £35 a month. And because I work for T-Mobile's IT Support I get their Employee discount of 1/2 price WIN!

Edited December 6, 2010 by Amesy

[Kidsmum]

I voted for landline as I'm one of the few people who doesn't own a mobile phone although I'm not one for chatting for ages on the phone anyway I prefer to talk to people face to face

[beef]

I would always go with the mobile (cell) phone. I answer the phones at work all day and let me tell you the WORST quality lines are *always* without fail from landline phones.

[frankie]

I voted cell phone. I don't know anyone who would still have a land line, Finland is pretty cell phonized

[Peacefield]

I voted cell phone but I have a land line as well. I strictly use my landline when I'm at home, simply because T-Mobile has utterly crap service where I live. I have to stand out on my patio in order to not get disconnected, which gets a wee bit chilly in the wintertime! When my contract is up I'm strongly considering switching companies. Otherwise I use my cell all other times, mostly for texting.

 

I have to have a land line at home because I have a DSL internet connection. It's the basic of the basic though, no voicemail or any other bells and whistles, so it's pretty inexpensive.

[Lumo]

I have the landline mainly for the broadband internet, I have a mobile, but that is pay as you go and doesn't need topped up too much. I normally use Skype out or Skype for calls, or send an email. If it weren't for the internet I wouldn't have a landline.

[Katrina1968]

I thought the same thing but when I got with my telephone company (also our internet provider) I found out that we did'nt need the telephone line. They assigned a number to our internet and that was that.

 

I have found that because reception is'nt really good inside our house, I do'nt spend much time at ALL on the phone. I will do quick conversations while I'm out and thats about it. It is very liberating!