Are you still a "land line" person?

[Hoggirl]

I must be really old, but I truly prefer using my land line phone over my cell phone. Am I alone in this? I find it so frustrating that so many young folks (under 35 :tongue_smilie:) and professional offices always prefer to use cell phones. I just don't use mine that often, so I don't always catch missed calls on it. However, I never miss a call/message on my land line, b/c I can see it blinking at me when I walk in the door. Even when I tell younger friends that I do better with the land line, they STILL often call on the cell!

 

Anyone else like me?

[jelbe5]

We have a land line . . . our internet comes through it somehow. We do not have cable TV. I prefer to use the land line when I am home.

[specialmama]

 

Anyone else like me?

 

...you mean old? Yes. :lol: I prefer to talk on my land line for it's clarity, but I do have cordless phones so I can walk around and pretend I'm multi-tasking (which I'm horrible at.) I do have a cell, but it is kept off unless I'm out and about.

 

FWIW, my dh is a financial auditor and specializes in predicting (& finding/preventing) fraud (within government, hospitals, private medical practices, nursing homes, etc.) and he will never be on anything but a land line when discussing credit card numbers or personal information. He's seen too much fraudulent activity with cordless phones and cell phones. Yup, it does happen.

Edited October 8, 2011 by specialmama

[TravelingChris]

I much prefer the landline at home. I can hear much better on it and I don't carry my cell phone around with me. I don't carry my regular phone around with me unless I am using it but since I have four phones, I normally am closer to the landline than to the cell phone.

[cathmom]

Our cell phones don't get very good service at our house, so yes, if we're home, we use the land line.

[Mavis]

I'm (just barely ) under 35 and I have a land line. I need it because I don't have a cell phone .

[Halcyon]

We haven't had a landline in 3 years. :) Saves us a lot of money. The only thing I miss is the ability to call my cell phone when I've misplaced it!:tongue_smilie:

[----]

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[Mama Geek]

We only have cell phones because we end up traveling a lot due to dh doing contract work.

[hsmom2011]

n/m

[tammyw]

Me - I much prefer to talk on our land line. I am leery of talking on the cell phone much, and if I need to use it, I prefer to use a headphone piece (not blue tooth). It's not just the brain cancer scare either. My cell phone gets hot against my head, and the sound is never as good. Also, I don't believe cell phones to be as secure, so I never give my credit card or SSN over the cell phone.

[MariannNOVA]

We have a landline and we have one old-fashioned phone with a phone cord (the corkscrew kind) that connects the handset to the receiver on the wall (also connected by wires) -- you know, the old fashioned kind.

 

We have this because in a previous home, we had only cordless phones and we learned (it was an awful shock) that our next door neighbor (who seemed nice enough) was listening in to ALL of our phone conversations.

 

DH clicked on the phone one day to make a call and he picks up her talking on her phone to someone and telling them in specific detail every single thing about our grand-daughter's birthday party that had taken place the week before. every.single.thing. And, no, she and I did not speak to each other other than hello and good bye and neither did my kids.

 

Since then, old fashioned, wire in wall phone.

[littlebug42]

I really do not like cell phones. I do not want to just give my cell phone number to anyone and have it ringing while I am doing things. I don't want to be one of those people with a constantly ringing cell phone. Many businesses around here are even putting up signs now asking for people to not use their cell phones inside. The people that might truly need to talk to me or that I want to talk to have my cell number. Anyone else can call the landline and leave a message. I can also hear much better on the landline phone.

[edelweiss]

I really do not like cell phones. I do not want to just give my cell phone number to anyone and have it ringing while I am doing things. I don't want to be one of those people with a constantly ringing cell phone. Many businesses around here are even putting up signs now asking for people to not use their cell phones inside. The people that might truly need to talk to me or that I want to talk to have my cell number. Anyone else can call the landline and leave a message. I can also hear much better on the landline phone.

 

I agree with all of this. I give very few people my cell phone number, and even those people are encouraged to text, not call, me on it.

[abbeyej]

I don't use our landline at all. *But* I would call you on whichever number you said you preferred.

[swellmomma]

I have a land line and cell phone. I have had the cell phone for less than a year now and it is a very limited plan. On my land line I have unlimited long distance in my plan and since every phone number is long distance for me it is perfect. Plus I will not let the kids have cells until they can pay for them themselves and do not want them chatting to friends on my cell, they can use the land line for that.

 

ETA we have 1 that is cordless and 1 that is corded, that way if we have a power outage the phone will still work

Edited October 8, 2011 by swellmomma

[KS_]

We still have a land line - in fact, I don't even have a cell phone. . .Dh has one for work, but other than that, we don't have a personal one.

[Word Nerd]

We only have cell phones but sometimes I wish we still had a landline. We live in a rural area, and the service at home is spotty at times for no apparent reason.

 

I hate talking on the phone. I wouldn't have a phone at all if I had my way.

Edited October 8, 2011 by WordGirl

[sheryl]

Way prefer landline over cell phone use. My dh and I do have cell phones, but our dd does NOT.

 

We are not of the mindset of keeping it turned on and on our person 24/7, say like my sister does......:glare:

 

I don't like to text (but will as a backup/emergency), don't have gps on a continual basis (although we can sign up for it say on any vacation and pay for just that month's usage)...we don't have smart phones. We could connect to the internet though, but don't b/c it's too expensive. It's not that important that it can't wait until we get home.

[angela in ohio]

We haven't had a landline in 3 years. :) Saves us a lot of money. The only thing I miss is the ability to call my cell phone when I've misplaced it!:tongue_smilie:

 

This. We just couldn't justify the expensive land line anymore. And we live so far out that our telephone lines are terribly old (we couldn't even get voice mail over them,) and you could barely hear anyone through all the static. We have a cell phone tower a few fields away, and our cell reception here is fabulous, so it's a better option.

 

I don't answer any phone (land line when we had it, now cell phone) unless I want to, so having a cell phone call interrupt me isn't an issue. I do the same thing I did with my land line: one ring for family and very close friends, another for everyone else. If it's not the special ring, it goes to voice mail. I do find that I can answer calls while I am sitting in the car waiting for dc at activities, too, and that frees up my family time at home.

 

I'm usually an old fuddy-duddy about things :D, but I gave up on the land line.

[Mommyof4ks]

I'm 32 and love my landline. We just have tracfones for cells, because we only use them for emergencies or quick calls when we are running late. Part of it is that my son is a leukemia survivor, and 'the experts' can't agree on the safety of cells and portables.

[katilac]

I'm betting one reason people ignore your preference and call your cell is because many plans have free "cell to cell." In other words, if they call another cell that uses the same provider, they don't use up minutes.

 

We still have a landline. I think there are too many safety issues to only have cells, particularly if there are children in the house: reverse 911, cells getting lost or batteries dying, and unlocking the cell phone - - if there's an emergency, a small child or visitor may not know how to unlock your cell phone. Many toddlers would be able to pick up a landline and dial 911, but would they realize they might need to unlock a cell phone? Or know how? It's different on different phones. On mine, you need to swipe the screen; on dh's, you need to press a button.

[NorCalMom]

We still have a landline. I think there are too many safety issues to only have cells, particularly if there are children in the house: reverse 911, cells getting lost or batteries dying, and unlocking the cell phone - - if there's an emergency, a small child or visitor may not know how to unlock your cell phone. Many toddlers would be able to pick up a landline and dial 911, but would they realize they might need to unlock a cell phone? Or know how? It's different on different phones. On mine, you need to swipe the screen; on dh's, you need to press a button.

 

Good point! We still have a landline, but I never even thought of the above scenario. DH needs a fax for his business so we have to have a landline. I also prefer the clarity in the calls.

[Mrs Mungo]

We have a home phone. We also have an actual land line where the handset connects to the phone with a cord.

[Tressa]

We still have a landline. I won't give it up. I do not like talking on a cell phone. We have Go phones so that my kids can get a hold of me when I am out, but I don't give the number out.

 

When the doctor's office asks for an alternate phone number, I just tell them that there isn't one. I get looks of shock, but then they move on.

[Unicorn.]

I have a cell phone, but prefer to use my landline. I consider my cell as a minor emergency device. It's there if someone really needs to get ahold of me quickly, and I'm not home.

[Impish]

We have a landline.

 

The only cell we have is a pay as you go. Great for Wolf at work, its really not used otherwise.

 

I take it with me when I go grocery shopping...Wolf's worried that my water will break or something and doesn't want me waddling around looking for a pay phone :glare::lol:

[Trish]

I must be really old, but I truly prefer using my land line phone over my cell phone. Am I alone in this? I find it so frustrating that so many young folks (under 35 :tongue_smilie:) and professional offices always prefer to use cell phones. I just don't use mine that often, so I don't always catch missed calls on it. However, I never miss a call/message on my land line, b/c I can see it blinking at me when I walk in the door. Even when I tell younger friends that I do better with the land line, they STILL often call on the cell!

 

Anyone else like me?

 

I definitely like the convenience of my cell phone when I'm out, but I rarely use it when I'm at home, especially for longer conversations. I figure at some point they're going to declare a definite linkage between cell waves and Something Bad (primarily brain tumors or somesuch), and I will be glad that wasn't my primary mode of communicating.

[AHASRADA]

I can't imagine not having a land line, because the alternative would be for us to have at least 3 cell phones, maybe even 4, to make sure everyone would be reachable, and we just can't afford that.

 

Dh and I each have a cell. His is on a plan through work, so he tries to limit personal calls on it. Mine is a pay-as-you-go Tracfone, used only for brief, necessary calls. The kids and I share it, so whichever one of us leaves the house is the one to use it. In this scenario, we always need a land land in order for those outside the home to reach "home base". Our landline is part of a bundle along with our internet and satellite service, so it only costs about as much as a single cell plan. Cells are also too unpredictable: Is it charged? Is there signal?

 

Speaking of age, My 85 year old grandfather was sick of paying for his landline and has had only a cell now for several years. It is convenient that he can take his phone with him when he goes to Florida for the winter, but when he's at home, alone, at the top of a mountain up a bumpy dirt road, he only has signal if he stands in front of a west-facing window in his living room:confused:. He also uses hearing aides, so he often does not hear people calling him, which gives us quite a scare until he finally notices and calls us back. I would strongly advise an elderly person living alone in a rural area to have a landline :tongue_smilie:.

 

I believe cells are important, even essential while traveling, in case of car trouble, etc., for the convenience of being able to check on the kids that are home alone while you're out and for meeting up with people when you are both away from home. It is also very handy when the power goes out and the cordless landline won't work, or if the cable service (and therefore the landline) goes out.

 

Bottom line, it is best to have both, but I'm not ready to give up my landline.

[twoxcell]

Well I'm only 27 but we still have aland line. We also have a prepaid cell, but we only use it when we are out.

[mrs.m]

No landline here. People can reach me when I'm out and about and I prefer that. Before my cell phone, I hardly ever returned a call. I would listen to the answering machine and decide to deal with it later and forget. (I still do this with the message on my cell, but I have fewer missed calls.)

 

Keeping track of the phone isn't all that hard. I have a smart phone and use it for my calendar and task list. It's a helpful tool, not just a toy.

 

We also have a spare cell in our house that we can use. It stays on the charger until it gets used. I use this one to hand to kids when they are going someplace alone and need a phone.

 

We have a landline phone plugged into the wall for 911. But that's all it can be used for. There is no carrier associated for any other local calls and we don't have a landline phone number. As long as you have a dial tone, this service is availlable.

[jenangelcat]

We don't have cell phones so yeah we're land line people.

[Night Elf]

We use our land line for local calls, and our cells for long distance.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Land line here. My neighborhood doesn't have the best cell coverage and I have dead spots in the house. Plus, I am more comfortable talking on my land line phone. I don't know if it is sound quality or the ability to push the phone up to ear to block out other sound or what, but I hear better on my land line.

[Ellie]

Mr. Ellie and I have not yet seen the need to get rid of the landline.

 

If I'm home, I use the landline. We give our landline # to businesses, church, everyone we are not personal friends with.

[Ellie]

We use our land line for local calls, and our cells for long distance.

Ditto.

[Hoggirl]

I don't use our landline at all. *But* I would call you on whichever number you said you preferred.

 

This. I want people to do this after I tell them this is my preference. My cell phone is usually in my purse. My purse is a black hole. It's not an effective way to reach me.

 

We have cells phones and a land line. We have three cordless land line phones and one plug into the wall in case the power goes out (as a pp mentioned). We have to keep the land line for our home security system.

 

I think some of my frustration is my own personal quirkiness about how much it bugs me when people can. not. be. separated. from. their. cell. phones. Have y'all seen that Zohm thingie advertised on tv? It apparently does several things, but one is sounding an alarm if you get too far away from your cell phone. :lol::lol::lol: Really?!?! This just cracks me up!

[Tammyla]

I've lived through too many emergencies to give up our land-line. Cell towers always seem to go our after earthquakes, tornadoes, ice-storms and blizzards.

[Homemama2]

We don't have a cell phone, so I guess that makes us land line people. :001_smile: We're under 35, btw. I like the idea of a cell phone for emergencies, but I don't want to pay for both and we live in a 'dead zone' area.

[DarlaS]

I must be really old, but I truly prefer using my land line phone over my cell phone. Am I alone in this? I find it so frustrating that so many young folks (under 35 :tongue_smilie:) and professional offices always prefer to use cell phones. I just don't use mine that often, so I don't always catch missed calls on it. However, I never miss a call/message on my land line, b/c I can see it blinking at me when I walk in the door. Even when I tell younger friends that I do better with the land line, they STILL often call on the cell!

 

Anyone else like me?

 

My dh wants to keep the land-line. I could take it or leave it. I don't use either phone that much, but if I had to choose one, it would be my cell. I can take it with me. I don't have to wait for a call (that might be important) if I need to go somewhere or work outside etc. Oh, amd my 17 yo, who is not much of a talker, will text me on it from college.

 

Lately, almost every time my land-line rings, it's someone I don't want to talk to anyway (solicitors etc.).

[QuirkyKapers]

We have a land line. I have thought about getting rid of it. But, I guess I am just used to it. :)

[Leonana]

We used to have only cell phones. I have a hearing problem, and I couldn't hear well on the cells.

 

Now, we have a home phone through our internet provider. I'm not sure you can call it a landline. Digital phone? The reception is much clearer than my old cell phone.

 

I use a Tracfone for when I need to get in touch with someone away from home. I use about 30 minutes a month. I also use it for texts, which are 1/3 of a minute.

 

The combination of our home phone and the Tracfone costs me about $30 per month, which is considerably cheaper than my cell phone.

[herbalgirl]

No, you're not alone. I find talking to/listening to people on a cell phone sounds like you're in a can. They are small and a pain to hold since they don't fit nicely into the hand. Also, my dh's dad and stepmom have this habit of calling on their cell phone whenever they are out and about, driving around. They always go through dead areas and we lose the call. :glare:

[mom4him]

We canceled our land line last spring when my dh was out of work for a time. We are in the process of getting it back. I do NOT like using the cell phone and don't want my two youngest spending time talking to friends on one.

 

When we have a land line I turn my cell phone off when at home. If someone wants to talk to me they have to call our home phone.

[jewellsmommy]

We have a land line, sort of. It is a Magic Jack. I love how inexpensive it is! We also have cell phones. I generally try to use the house phone because we do not have unlimited minutes and I do not have a texting plan.

[Running the race]

We still have a land line. I wish people would call our land line first and then my cell phone. Often that won't happen and I won't get the message until much later.

[Rhonda in TX]

I much prefer talking on the land line. There are no lost calls, I can hear better, and it's just more comfortable to talk on.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Don't people just call the number that you give them? I have a cell phone but I don't know my number so I don't give it to anyone other than my dh and my kids. All other personal and business calls come through my land line.

[LibraryLover]

We have a ll.

Edited October 9, 2011 by LibraryLover

[justamouse]

LL.

 

AND I can only have corded phones in my house, and, if you call me on the house phone, I have to sit in my kitchen to talk to you. :D

 

Why?

 

Because the old plaster walls. The waves can't go through them, so I have cordless, but I can only use it in about a 5 foot circumference.

 

I am DYING to get an old ATT anchor of a phone for my kitchen. Just because I hate the new corded 5 dollar phones at Waluniverse that I am made to use.