Telephone customers have been abandoning their landlines in droves in favor of cell service and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) options. If you have been thinking about joining those digital enthusiasts, you might want to consider a few reasons why keeping your landline phone makes sense.
Your landline telephone does more than just connect you to the outside world. It also provides a steady and reliable service that even the most reliable cell phone is unable to match. Before you call the phone company and cut the cord, you should consider these reasons to keep your landline in place.
Better Emergency Response
Geolocation and emergency response services for cell phones keep getting better, but they are still far from perfect. If someone in your household has been ill or suffers from a chronic health condition, you should think twice about disconnecting your landline. You just never know when you will need to call 911, and you want to make sure emergency responders can find you as quickly as possible.
Home Security Option
Most home security systems utilize a landline, or wiring, for monitoring and contacting whatever security company you are working with. The technology for landline security systems is tried, tested and reliable. Yes, there are options for wireless home security system, but it is best to check the cost of installing and using these wireless systems before opting to use one. If you can afford it, wireless is fine. But, you might discover that using a landline for home security systems, over time, is just cheaper.
Power Outages
If the electricity goes out, so does the charger that powers your smartphone and lets you communicate with the world outside your door. The battery may last for a few days, but if you suffer an extended power outage you could be out of luck. Worse yet, you could experience a power outage just as the battery on your cell phone is running out of juice.
If you live in an area that is prone to power outages, cutting the cord to your landline could be counterproductive and even dangerous. On the contrary, you should make sure you have an old-fashioned corded phone at the ready. Cordless phones will be just as useless during a power outage as their cellular counterparts.
Better Privacy
Eavesdroppers using simple devices, such as scanners or even other cell phones are able to intercept cell phone calls and conversation. Landline calls, because the date is better sent over wiring instead of being broadcast, cannot be intercepted. This is particularly important to consider when giving credit card information via a cell phone.
Few Cost Savings
Many cord cutters simply assume that eliminating their home phone service will save them hundreds of dollars, but that is not necessarily the case. If you have a bundled service package, eliminating the telephone portion may not save you much at all. If you get your Internet service through DSL, you will still need to keep the actual phone line in place. That means that getting rid of voice service may only save you a couple of bucks a month.
If saving money is your goal, you might do better by contacting the telephone company and asking for their most basic package. Phone companies do not advertise these ultra-low cost packages, but they are available. You may be able to reduce your monthly costs substantially while still keeping the convenience of a home phone line.
Better Quality
The quality of cellular service can vary considerably from place to place, but landline service tends to be more even and more reliable. Unless you get stellar cellular service where you live, the difference in quality could be enough to justify keeping your landline in place.
The technology behind cordless and corded landline phones has been steadily improving, and the sound quality is often much better as well. The difference in sound quality can be especially important if your household is home to an elderly person or someone with hearing difficulties.
Yes, there is plenty of hype about how landlines are a thing of the past. However, you have to ask yourself why are so many companies pushing to replace landlines? Could it be that, based on the cost of contracts, having to buy new cellphones, cellphone insurance against theft, that there is just a lot more money being made by cell phone services? Before getting rid of your landline, really check into the costs and benefits lost by getting rid of your landline. You might also check with your local phone company about getting a landline at the bare minimum cost. You’d be surprised at what a landline, with few frills, can cost monthly.
