BS: Dropping the Landline - pros and cons?

Subject: RE: BS: Dropping the Landline - pros and cons?
From: Becca72
Date: 23 Oct 12 - 08:35 AM

Sorry Greg but I have never lost cell phone use during a power outage. Since I've had a cell for 13 years and have used that exclusively for the past 5 I think I'll continue to take my chances.
Not every area has underground telephone lines, and we most certainly don't have underground POWER lines in my area...

Subject: RE: BS: Dropping the Landline - pros and cons?
From: Johnny J
Date: 23 Oct 12 - 09:00 AM

Grumpy old man's view......

How language changes!

A few years back, a "landline" was a dedicated telephone line which was set up between two or more specific points and used by various organisations eg The Police, some private companies etc. The local Hospital Radio station where I once volunteered had a dedicated line between our studios and the local hospitals.

This was rented separately as opposed to the regular telephone line either through BT but sometimes the contract was with a private company.

So, the phone at home or in your office etc was never referred to as a landline, it was just "the telephone".

Grrrrr

Subject: RE: BS: Dropping the Landline - pros and cons?
From: Greg F.
Date: 23 Oct 12 - 10:06 AM

Sorry Greg but I have never lost cell phone use during a power outage...

Well, here's hoping your incredibly good luck - and not the majority experience, I might add - continues, and the one time you really NEED that cell phone in a real emergency you don't find out about the effect of power outages to your sorrow. Sincerely.

During the recent Maine earthquake, my niece and I could not make phone calls (same carrier) because the relay was overloaded with calls...I was still able to text...

Yup - common occurrance, and another excellent reason for not relying solely on cell phones for emergency communication. By the way, ya can't "text" 911 (or 999).

Best,

Greg

Subject: RE: BS: Dropping the Landline - pros and cons?
From: Becca72
Date: 23 Oct 12 - 11:32 AM

Actually, you can....or will be able to shortly

Subject: RE: BS: Dropping the Landline - pros and cons?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Oct 12 - 12:48 PM

If you (or anyone in your home) like to talk a long time on the phone to friends who also have a landline, it makes a lot of sense to hold on to it, and have a contract tat gives unlimted free landline calls. And it's a lot kinder to the friends who phone and like to talk. Long mobile calls can get very expensive indeed.

And it also means you are in the phone book and I think having that cease to be the normal expectation is a very bad thing for us as a society.

Subject: RE: BS: Dropping the Landline - pros and cons?
From: Charmion
Date: 23 Oct 12 - 01:00 PM

A conversation on a "corded" (as they say around here) telephone is usually much easier to hear and understand than the same conversation on a mobile. The difference is caused by the quality of the condenser microphone in the receiver and its proximity to the speaker's mouth, and to the level of interference on the transmission. Wireless transmissions are subject to all kinds of interference that never has access to a wired connection.

Also, I have yet to hear of TTY service (teletype for the deaf) on a mobile ...

Subject: RE: BS: Dropping the Landline - pros and cons?
From: Greg F.
Date: 23 Oct 12 - 01:11 PM

Actually, you can....or will be able to shortly Only if the cell tower is functional - and do you really want to talk to a machine then wait & see how long it takes the overwhelmed 911 operator to verify & then do something about your text?

Good luck. I'lll talk to a human on my land line, thanks.

Subject: RE: BS: Dropping the Landline - pros and cons?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 23 Oct 12 - 01:19 PM

Kevin, invest in a GiffGaff SIM card, and all your calls are covered. Apart from the usual exclusions.

Subject: RE: BS: Dropping the Landline - pros and cons?
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 23 Oct 12 - 01:27 PM

Johnny J, you're quite right. My late father worked for the GPO and having gained several Telecommunications qualifications, he was picked to set up 'landlines' for emergency purposes. He was on the London Flood Committee, and was trained for landline installation to the Fire Brigade and various hospitals. We didn't even have a telephone at home!

Subject: RE: BS: Dropping the Landline - pros and cons?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Oct 12 - 02:24 PM

I don't think I've ever made a mobile phone call that lasted more than a few seconds. Even aside from frying your brain, the sound isn't good enough.   That's not what mobiles are for in my book.