Cell phones vs landlines

[Kobi]

Seems more and more people are turning off their landlines and relying totally on their cell phones.

I am partial to my landline. The sound quality is better. I have to be home to use it and I like the privacy this affords me. And, I always know where it is.

I bought a cell to have for an emergency that might arise when I am out of my home, or if the home phone service is out of order for some reason. The sound quality is substandard. I am not fond of texting. I am not fond of being interrupted when I am out doing errands or chores or at appointments.

I rarely have the need to be connected to the hustle and bustle via a device 24/7. Usually, I am trying to find ways to disconnect.

So, I am wondering what type of phone works better for your life?

[dark_crystal]

We have a landline that we got because of the cable company bundle. It rings several times a day, but it has never once been answered as we have never given out the number due to forgetting what it is


so.... cell phones!

[Nomad]

i dont have either a cell or a landline. i had a love-hate relationship with my cell until i lost it while camping. then i just hated it for not knowing how much i loved it. :D

i like texting. i'd rather text than talk because i can scroll back to see important things i might need to remember. voice talk doesn't allow for that. what's funny is that in my pre-cell phone days you couldnt get me off the phone! :superfunny:

[firegal]

I like them both..

But as 911 goes cell phones are kinda a curse.

#1. like when a car wreck happens...TONS of folks driving by! call to report

it...but no one stops to see if anyone is hurt.

#2 People call [cell phones] and they dont know where they are at...hardwire phones our
dispatchers know where they are.

#3 Cell phones ..alot of static..background noise [on 911 calls]

#4 texting 911 calls is coming...serious! its in the process now! :seeingstars:

But i do love my land line and my cell. personally

[Parker]

I like my cell because I can use it at home and then when I leave, I can take it with me both to use if I need it and to not miss a call when I am away from home.

I carry the phone with me 24/7 as well because I live alone and dont have one of those "I've fallen and I cant get up" monitors or buttons - if something happens to me, I want to make sure my phone is with me so I can call for help - assuming I am conscious. Even when I shower, I keep my cell phone within arms reach of the tub - just in case. :winky:

That need became abundantly clear 4 years ago or so when I was in my backyard moving something and stepped into a gopher hole, twisting my ankle so badly, I thought I broke it and I had to crawl back into the house ..... of course, I didnt call 911 because I didnt consider a broken or sprained ankle to be an emergency, but driving myself to the VA was probably one of the dumbest things I have ever done because I almost passed out from the pain and shock - so I called a friend on my cell phone and had her keep me talking until I pulled up to the VA. lol

Sorry, I digress - so for convenience, for money (2 phones vs. 1), and for safety, I prefer my cell phone that can go everywhere I go. :winky:

[SleepyButch]

I have not had a landline in years. When I did have it, I never used it or answered it.

I love my cellphone. I can take it with me anywhere and if someone needs me, they can reach me. I did just get a new one in July and the sound quality is just as good as any landline I've ever heard. Of course there will be those times when a cell tower is not in range and I'll drop a call or have a lot of static but I figure my landline would not help me in that type of situatin anyway... lol.

With technology the way that it is, this will only improve over time.

[Bella~Vita]

I myself prefer a land line. I too don't want to answer calls while I'm out. I do have one but it's for an emergencey , etc. I dislike the sound and the irritating dropped calls. Besides the fact, I think it's rude when someone answers the calls while we are out, or always on them when you are in the company of others.

[KayCee]

With my new cellphone, that's all I need.

[princessbelle]

I hated my land-line. I received so many sales calls on it from "do you need a new roof, we are in the area" to "we are doing a survey". I used to cringe every time i got a call on it knowing it was going to be some BS. I got rid of it and saved myself some money.

My cell phone is very important in my life. I text a pretty good amount as well. I drive to homes as a nurse and my cell is invaluable to me, calling patients, having a flat, etc. I call 911 sometimes as well when i'm in homes and i just always have to remember where i'm at lol...address.

If i leave the house and accidentally forget my cell i panic and drive back and get it. But also, my mom is elderly and i like being able to be reached by her or my kids 24 7.

I feel way more in-touch with people in my life and it is a security blanket of sorts.

[macele]

i don't talk on the phone a lot. never have. a couple of years ago i thought that texting was stupid. then i heard that pat summitt started and i ain't let up since! that's why i don't get facebook LOL.

i have both, cell and landline. after hurricane katrina, the landline worked when the cell didn't. just feels sad not to have a home phone. and i remember the days of grandma having a party line.

[MsTinkerbelly]

We all have cell phones, no landline.

I miss the days when you could not be reached when away from home...sometimes I feel like I have lojack!

But like some, I have a child and had an elderly Mom to attend to so a cell phone was mandatory.

[Tommi]

Cell phone vs. Landline.

Landline for sound and earthquake preparedness alert....of which I have 5 phones @ the house, and one cell.

Cell =Verizon @ home doesn't work unless racing to the wrought iron gate, holding on with one hand, on one leg wearing a tinfoil hat . Celll held high, speaker on, bi-directional rotation waving it in the air to the Cell Phone Tower Goddess hollering " Helllo can you hear me now ~can you hear me now can yo....GONE .

but, a celll in my pocket works well with GPS speaker in car.


The planned city I live in bans celltowers, because *** they are ugly. we vote here, , "they are still ugly". ,. So, we have a monopoly with COX Communications bundling it all up. and it breaks. Verizon, MT Mobile and Sprint offered to put in pine tree looking towers....but , alas, we have palm trees *:)

Cox SUCKS. But I keep the landline because, A. it's a "bundle" .I wish someone could tell me what I am saving. I have the digital tv , digital phone, and high speed computer..B. In case of earthquake, I might not be able to find my tinfoil hat, and I have 4 landlines....but then again, Cox goes down once a month without earthquakes.

[weatherboi]

Work dictates that I have both, but my landline is forwarded to my cell phone. I am one of those people that has to answer my phone when I know it is a potential client calling even if I have to excuse myself from the event. Sign of the times and it is essential to the survival of my business. I hate that, but I love my cell phone and use it for all my administrative office duties when I am out on a floor and that could be 12 hours or longer sometimes. It keeps me entertained while I am waiting in between finish coats. I even bought a little compatible speaker off groupon goods so I can listen to music while working. It is also how I take all my before and after pictures.

[Glenn]

FYI if SHTF the United States Army still maintains their awesome pigeon reserve. There are still pigeon reserve outposts in many cities in the US. I have seen one. Plus, Pigeons make great pets! It's always good to have a carrier pigeon hanging around along with your landline and cell. Learn the basics how to train a carrier pigeon at eHow.com.

[The_Lady_Snow]

If SHTF the United States Army still maintains their awesome pigeon reserve. There are still pigeon reserve outposts in many cities in the US. I have seen one. Plus, Pigeons make great pets! Learn the basics how to train a carrier pigeon at eHow.com.



Our neighbors across the street have carrier pigeons, once the Zombie apocalypse comes I'll use one or two to send out an SOS!

Cell phone and land line here, the man cub has a cell so that his coordinates are always known.

[Kelt]

I dropped having a land line about 6 years ago because my land line carrier was so horrible. I have since learned their affectionate nickname is "those rat bastards".

I had both for a couple of years. When I was going to move to a new state I got my first cell as a way of having a local number in my next state for job hunting purposes. When I moved here I kept it.

I have a love hate relationship with any phone. I pay for it so I consider it to be a tool for my use and convenience. If I have a reason to expect a call I leave it on and I can go about my day without waiting around for it. If I am not, I will turn it or the ringer off so I can be left alone. I don't tell anyone other than friends it is a cell so that the expectation that I will jump to answer it is reduced.

Texting is something I used very little until the last year. I have now used it quite a bit and had a chance to evaluate it for myself. To get a quick bit of information conveyed without getting sucked into a call that is unneeded it is fine. But if I am to talk to someone for anything more than that I much prefer an actual human voice. I treat it much like Kobi does and usually have longer conversations at home to minimize distractions.

I like having options. I usually use it as I would a land line, but have the versatility if I want it. I recently went to a smartphone just to keep up with tech and must say having a small computer and camera in my pocket has proven to be pretty handy.

Manners are still manners though, and I don't check it or use it around others. I still think that the "screen heads" are generally rude. I guess we will all have to get used to it to a degree especially in those growing up with it, but I do not have to behave that way myself.

Short answer: Cell only, no landline. LOL

:balloon:

[Tony]

I don't have a land line & haven't for some time. I do miss it sometimes; like when I've misplaced my cell & need to call it.
I've had the same cell number for 20 some years. The area code has changed here a few times, but it's been my main number since the enormous brick phone. Lol

[Kenna]

I got my first cell phone several years ago after being hit head on by a drunk driver, in the middle of the night with no way to call 911...
I had put it off until then...

Now I run two cells... 1 for personal use, and the other I had got when unemployed for NC job contacts only...which it has now become my business phone that I AM NOT reimbursed for (pissed off look) ...

And a landline I was stuck with when ordering DSL so far out in BFE corn and soybean fields...

After working from home for the past few months, I'm starting to hate all three... and am not fond of texting lately, because for some people it's their primary communication style... I hate my Droid for texting!

After the past few months.... I'd be happy to go back to NO phones or the old rotary line in the kitchen for minimal use only.

[clay]

Cell...period!
The Straight Talk Plan provided by Verizon through WalMart is an awesome plan!
No contract!
I have incredible coverage everywhere. I even used it on Amtrak last year!
Like Parker, mine stays close by me...everywhere. Esp. when I am in shower...And I usually do NOT answer it when I am eating, doing something I don't want to interrupt....NO, not that....lol...like watching one of my shows, etc. or if I just don't feel up to talking.
With the institution of phone etiquette and manners, a cell can be a pleasant experience!
I turn the ringer off at night so as not to be disturbed. None of my loved ones are remotely close by, so what can I do at Oh Dark Thirty anyway. I am prone to check it when I wake to go to BR anyway.
TEXTING is the Bomb diggety!! I love to talk BUT with my phone currently in 2 pieces, NOT! My arm goes to sleep from keeping it bent..lol.
My card I get every month to replenish my phone is $45 with UNLIMITED anytime, anywhere minutes, texts, and data.
I am VERY satisfied with my cell and coverage!!!

[~ocean]

I'm a landline user . less expensive ... clear voices and u dont have to recharge it .. oh yeah !! no controversy .. as if it will cause brain damage.. i have a cell for emergency only .. i never use it .. i did learn to text last year but i havent texted since ! .. mybe u can call me old fashioned.. i like to refer it to as common sense ...

[Abigail Crabby]

I only have a cell phone -

There are times when I think a land line would come in handy - enhanced 911 yanno.

But I pay enough for my cell phone that the added expense is just that, an added expense.

I like having the convenience of keeping in touch out of the house. Never fails when I go to the store I have a need to call home and say -Ohhh this is on sale, should I get some -

I'm just all about the technology - I heard a rumor that Time Warners Digital phone just might have the ability to text soon.

I'd prolly get a land line then - cuz I usually prefer texting over talking most days....

[*Anya*]

I fought getting a cell phone. It felt so intrusive to me. Everywhere I went, people took phone calls, talking loudly about the most personal issues that I did not want to hear! It still bugs me.

Two years ago I got an IPhone and it was love at first sight.

I still have a landline because of the "bundling". I could not get Verizon FIOS for my TV and computer without including the landline.

I love the ability to text short and sweet messages.

[Rockinonahigh]

I have a majic jack system set up that I can call anywhere in the usa and canada with unlimited minits at anytime.With the system set up my son can play games world wide plus some other stuff i never will understand.I know I should have a cell but when I did a barely used it,I prolly will end up getting one sooner or later but I hate to pay for something I hardly use.

[Greyson]

By the way, cell phone numbers are now fair game for marketing calls. You can however have your cell number blocked from unwanted solicitation. You must call from your cell or visit the link provided by the Federal government.

In order to block your landline, that is a different number and transaction. I check this information out before posting and to the best of my knowledge it is legitimate.

________________________________________________





REMEMBER: Cell Phone Numbers Go Public this month.
REMINDER..... all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls.

.... YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS

To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: 888-382-1222.
It is the National DO NOT CALL list It will only take a minute of your time.. It blocks your number for five (5) years.
You must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked. You cannot call from a different phone number. It takes about 20 seconds.


https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx

[*Anya*]

Thank you Greyson!! Much appreciated:)

[Novelafemme]

I would love to not have a cell phone (I think). My sister and her husband, who both live in NYC, have never had cells and still have one of those old school answering machines at home. ;) They feel the disconnect keeps them grounded. I tend to agree.

My mother in law lives with us and she prefers having a landline, so we do. She is also a HUGE football fan and in order for her to have access to some football package through our cable company, she needs that landline.

I am learning more and more about football whether I want to or not. ;)

I miss the days of rotary phones, getting yanked off my feet by the phone cord when I walk farther than its length, and hiding in the closet twirling the cord while I try to have those "private" talks. I think I just dated myself. ;)

[laruss]

I gave up my landline about a year ago and really could have given it up much sooner. I kept it for the long distance only, then I found Skype, so I no longer needed the landline.

I love my cell, it goes everywhere with me and I have everything on it, all 4 email accounts, facebook, internet, and it is one of the best point and shoot cameras I have owned. I am huge into texting, a quick and easy way to contact people. I rarely used it as a phone until more recently.

I also always keep it close, including when I am in the shower. I have even talked and texted while in the shower. Yes, I am hooked on the cell.

And I am still a diehard Blackberry fan, I like having a real keyboard. I hate touch screens. My new Blackberry has both, and I almost always use the keyboard instead of the screen.

[girl_dee]

i need a landline for 911, knowing i won't have to fumble with my cell if i need to call 911 is worth it to me.

Here at the farm our internet is through a phone line so that's reason two.

[Parker]

Like Parker, mine stays close by me...everywhere. Esp. when I am in shower...And I usually do NOT answer it when I am eating, doing something I don't want to interrupt....NO, not that....lol...like watching one of my shows, etc. or if I just don't feel up to talking.
With the institution of phone etiquette and manners, a cell can be a pleasant experience!
I turn the ringer off at night so as not to be disturbed. None of my loved ones are remotely close by, so what can I do at Oh Dark Thirty anyway. I am prone to check it when I wake to go to BR anyway.
TEXTING is the Bomb diggety!!

I dont answer when I am with other people, in my car, etc - also, if I dont recognize the number, I let it go to VM. I also turn the ringer off when I am sleeping - a lot of people ask me when a good time to call is and I can honestly say anytime because if I am sleeping or whatever, the ringer is off. :winky:

I also love texting - I actually prefer it to talking on the phone. lol


I was thinking about the landline I had because I a lot of people say they have one in case of a SHTF event - but the landline I had wasnt even really a landline, it was a part of my cable bundle, so if the power went out, there went my "landline." I guess I havent had an actual landline phone in something like 20yrs! Having one in case of a SHTF event is a good idea - I just cant afford the added expense right now.

---

Also, just an FYI about cell phones and telemarketers - the info about cell phone numbers becoming public is a hoax - it was an internet rumor started many years ago. If you check it out on snopes.com, you can see how it all started and that it is false.

In fact, the Do Not Call Registry website says this:
Can I register my cell phone on the National Do Not Call Registry?

Yes, you may place your personal cell phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry. The registry has accepted cell phone numbers since it opened for registrations in June 2003. There is no deadline to register a home or cell phone number on the Registry.

You may have received an email telling you that your cell phone is about to be assaulted by telemarketing calls as a result of a new cell phone number database; however, that is not the case. FCC regulations prohibit telemarketers from using automated dialers to call cell phone numbers. Automated dialers are standard in the industry, so most telemarketers don’t call consumers on their cell phones without their consent.

It's still a great idea to register your cell with the DNC registry to avoid those who dont use an automatic dialer - I recommend it to my friends all the time - just dont panic thinking you're about to get bombarded with telemarketing calls. :)

I registered my cell and I still get the occasional call on my cell from a telemarketer so I just google the number to try to get company info and then go to the Do Not Call Registry to file a complaint with the FCC. :winky:

[Blade]

I live further out in BFE than Kenna does and there is. I have to have a land line for internet purposes. I do not have a phone plugged into the landline.

I've always had just a basic cell phone, this time I got a droid I hate it for texting I invent all kinds of new words. I carry it with me all the time. It is a double edged sword. For one if anyone knows u carry it all the time they expect you to always answer it...and Mom thinks all her needs are immediate, no matter how trivial the reason she thinks she needs me at the time. They are like a tracking device.

[dark_crystal]

When did you get your cell phone?

I've had one for over twenty years.

My first "car" phone had a curly cord and a receiver and there was no such thing as a rate plan. You paid by the minute and they were 25 cents each!

Then I had the brick phone!

(I feel like I'm dating myself but I am not as old as that sounds! I just had really paranoid parents!)

[willow]

I have both landline and mobile phones because I want them, use them and have decided I need to have both. If I find myself more than 6 feet from my mobile I will suffer symptoms of withdrawal! That said, I have no problem ignoring either one and often do.

When out and about my mobile is almost always on silent. It will be on silent if I am,

1. driving (NOTHING is that important)
2. on a date (that's a given)
3. in the supermarket checkout (how annoying is it when the customer in front is on half speed because they are chatting?)
4. enjoying a meal, DVD, evening in, with friends
5. anywhere I happen to find myself part of a group of people listening to another person speak (when someone in the group answers their phone and doesn't even leave the room. Acceptable behaviour? Really!?)
6. attending an appointment

Anyone who matters knows not to leave a voicemail because I never listen to them. So, any voicemails won't be from anyone I'd want to talk to. Delete.

Texting is best for me. If I can (read want to) I'll answer right away or the text will act like a visual voicemail and I'll get back to you ;)

If I have network coverage then I want access, NEED access but if I'm somewhere with no coverage it won't bother me at all. I need my phones because they are there.

[yotlyolqualli]

I have both a landline and a cell.

At one point I had a landline and 2 cells lol

I had my own cell phone, one on my (ex)g/f's plan and of course the landline.

I no longer have the ATT phone and have my cell and landline through Verizon.

Regardless, those who know me, know damned well that if I do NOT answer the phone (and I usually DONT) then leave a message. I will get back to you when it's convenient for me. Even though I don't answer my phone very often, I do check VM, especially given the health situations of my family, as of late.

There is absolutely no one in my life, even when I was partnered, that needed 24 hr access to me and I refuse to allow anyone to HAVE that. As I said, I check text and VM often.

If I am out walking, shopping, enjoying the outdoors, or having a friendly chat with a neighbor, OR if I am home reading, sewing, cooking, cleaning, ironing, on the computer or watching a movie... I will NOT answer the phone, or text. It's just how I am. If I wanted to allow people to have constant contact with me, I wouldn't be living alone lol

I don't like to talk on the phone. I prefer texting, unless, of course, it's going to be a long conversation, than talking is best.

In short, I have both. Both serve a needed purpose, and both are needed equally and treated equally.

[Kätzchen]

I had to give up my landline two years ago, this coming November.
I have a cell phone with a very limited plan.
(I do not text, I spend little time using it)

I will be returning to a landline in November.

Or, ~>> Smoke Signals! ;)

[Rockinonahigh]

One of my problems with cell phones is that when people have them its like they dont care if the world hears even the most private of conversations.Or when in groups often I find them playing games while half assed being part of a convo,My really big peve is when im playing pool and the person im in the game with is on the cell when not at the table,then more times then not I wait till they get done or put the thing on hold then take a shot at the game.Cell phones are good as well as nice to have but I feel are takeing away the art of communication.

[Corkey]

We have a landline, we have cell phones, we have the cells for emergencies while out or if the power goes out. We don't have games or apps or any other feature than a phone. We don't use them as the first source of communication. There's nothing worse than to look in the rear view mirror and see an idiot on a cell while driving. One or the other but not at the same time.

[Greyson]

I have both landline and mobile phones because I want them, use them and have decided I need to have both. If I find myself more than 6 feet from my mobile I will suffer symptoms of withdrawal! That said, I have no problem ignoring either one and often do.

When out and about my mobile is almost always on silent. It will be on silent if I am,

1. driving (NOTHING is that important)
2. on a date (that's a given)
3. in the supermarket checkout (how annoying is it when the customer in front is on half speed because they are chatting?)
4. enjoying a meal, DVD, evening in, with friends
5. anywhere I happen to find myself part of a group of people listening to another person speak (when someone in the group answers their phone and doesn't even leave the room. Acceptable behaviour? Really!?)
6. attending an appointment

Anyone who matters knows not to leave a voicemail because I never listen to them. So, any voicemails won't be from anyone I'd want to talk to. Delete.

Texting is best for me. If I can (read want to) I'll answer right away or the text will act like a visual voicemail and I'll get back to you ;)

If I have network coverage then I want access, NEED access but if I'm somewhere with no coverage it won't bother me at all. I need my phones because they are there.

Please know I am not trying to challenge you or your post. I have not heard anyone refer to a cell phone as a "mobile" for a few years now. Do you think this could be a regional thing in language usage? I do remember when the cells first came out. They were referred to as mobile phones.

I have both a land line and a cell. The land line is part of a bundle package and I use it for outgoing calls only. I like the privacy and clarity of the land line but IMO, cell phones and other new technology usage is inevitable.

[Kelt]

Please know I am not trying to challenge you or your post. I have not heard anyone refer to a cell phone as a "mobile" for a few years now. Do you think this could be a regional thing in language usage? I do remember when the cells first came out. They were referred to as mobile phones.

If I may, I have friends in England that use the term mobile instead of cell. I don't know if it applies here, but it is colloquial in some areas.

:balloon:

[Angeltoes]

If I may, I have friends in England that use the term mobile instead of cell. I don't know if it applies here, but it is colloquial in some areas.

:balloon:

My German friends call it a mobile as well.

[Corkey]

Back in the day when they first came out with the large bulky phone attached to a briefcase.... it was known as a mobile phone.
:seeingstars: often I will see cell phones referred to as mobile phones, especially on forms asking for ones cell #.

[tazz]

i'm an iPhone person... it's on me 24/7. i use my iPhone for everything.

i also prefer texting, messaging, or webcam instead of phone chatting.

landlines used to frustrate me.

[Corkey]

i'm an iPhone person... it's on me 24/7. i use my iPhone for everything.

i also prefer texting, messaging, or webcam instead of phone chatting.

landlines used to frustrate me.

Having grown up tethered to the wall, I feel your frustration.

[SugarFemme]

OMG this totally cracked me up. I have often told my sister that we now have electronic monitoring devices with us 24/7 for the parental unit to track us down. Flipping Global GPS I call it LOL.



I live further out in BFE than Kenna does and there is. I have to have a land line for internet purposes. I do not have a phone plugged into the landline.

I've always had just a basic cell phone, this time I got a droid I hate it for texting I invent all kinds of new words. I carry it with me all the time. It is a double edged sword. For one if anyone knows u carry it all the time they expect you to always answer it...and Mom thinks all her needs are immediate, no matter how trivial the reason she thinks she needs me at the time. They are like a tracking device.

[StrongButch]

I use home phone Only 2 people have my cell 1 is my Mom I often leave it turned off for months only have one for when im traveling

[Scuba]

I haven't had a land-line for about 6 years. I have two phones (I have a side business), an iPhone and an Android. In my line of work it is important that I work with technology I am expected to support.

Personally, I hate talking on the phone or texting or anything with a phone really. I like face to face but I guess you can't have that without a way to make those face to face plans :| It's a double-edged sword in my little world....

[willow]

Please know I am not trying to challenge you or your post. I have not heard anyone refer to a cell phone as a "mobile" for a few years now. Do you think this could be a regional thing in language usage? I do remember when the cells first came out. They were referred to as mobile phones.

I have both a land line and a cell. The land line is part of a bundle package and I use it for outgoing calls only. I like the privacy and clarity of the land line but IMO, cell phones and other new technology usage is inevitable.

It is still 'mobile' in the UK :)

edit: I replied before reading what Kelt had to say.

[suebee]

Had a cell for X number of years. Got rid of the cell - didn't use it that much and it was just an added expense. FREEDOM, WONDERFUL FREEDOM! :) lol Liked feeling disconnected when I was out of the house. Just last week we both got cells. Number one reason is the same as many have already stated: My folks are aging and need to be able to contact one of us.

The second reason is so my wife and I can stay in touch. Not easy to decide on a cell plan, since we're constantly in different countries - living right on the U.S./Canada border, but we just make sure we're bouncing off a Canadian tower, and we can keep our costs down. Canadian cell phone plans aren't nearly as inexpensive as U.S. ones, so we'll have the landline for awhile yet. But I prefer it anyway. VERY few people have my cell number. It's for MY convenience.

And - yes, I remember 25cents/minute! lol I had the first flip phone: the Startac. Oh, but didn't I feel cool when I whipped THAT baby out! :sunglass: lol I think I'll go off now and reminise about getting up to change the channel. :blush:

[Miss Scarlett]

i got rid of my landline 10 years ago when i replaced my DSL with Roadrunner. i didn't have any problems withh cell service until i replaced my beloved enV with an Alias2... that phone gave me fits for 2 years with dropped calls and terrible reception. Last year i got my iPhone and, knock on wood, i haven't had any trouble at all. i love this phone and now use it for my internet as well. There are a couple of drawbacks but they're easily worked around.

[homoe]

I would NEVER be without a landline! The cell phones are always dropping out and half the time your asking someone to repeat something blah blah blah! GIVE me a landline any day over a cell phone!

[TruTexan]

I have an Iphone and I love it. I hated having a landline, all those damn calls early in the morning or all day long from solicitors and they spoof the number they are calling you from. I got tired of it and shut the damned thing off. The ONLY reason I have a landline now is to connect to the internet, but I don't have a phone hooked up to it. NEVER AGAIN will I use a landline. Nuh uh.

[diamondrose]

In my life, cell phone is more suitable. I rely on my phone a lot at work. Working long hours, I am able to take care of a lot of things via phone. I also have a landline simply because of the bundle, but I never use it.

[Angeltoes]

I haven't had a landline in many years but you're all right, the sound quality is way better. I may get one soon, but who knows how often I'll use it. I'm out and about a lot.

[Rockinonahigh]

I have a cell phone but it took me getting it free to even think of having one, I have to admit it has come in handy a time or two but I still could have done just as well without it, I am also glad it is a very basic one or it would be bits and pieces from hitting the floor. One reason I don't like cell phones is when I talk to someone I am with I hate it when they have to keep looking at the thing or when I am at the pool hall how can you carry on any kind of interaction with a group when all I see is them playing a game or texting or running up ebey. I have forbid them at the dinner table when I am home or out with family for a meal or just out having some family time, to have a normal conversation or just enjoy things with out electronics is a pain in the ass.

[MsTinkerbelly]

We have a landline that came along with our Internet/tv bundle, but there is no phone hooked up to it! We also have a landline that is dedicated to my wife's work station, and is only turned on from 10am-7pm.

Otherwise we both have low jack, I mean cell phones, that we can answer or not as we see fit.

Who would have thought that someday we would pay $100+ each for personal phone service? :blink:

[Gemme]

My bundle was cheaper with a landline but I actually use it fairly regularly as reception in my apartment is basically a black hole that migrates from here to there and, when I find a pocket, I can't move if I'm on my cell. My land line is a handheld so I can go anywhere in the apartment and immediate vicinity outside and the reception's great.

Outside of home, I use my cell, but I'm not one of the umpteen thousands of people who are so sucked into what's going on on their phone that they are completely disengaged from what's going on around them. I use it and then I forget about it until I need to use it again or until someone contacts me.

[C0LLETTE]

Seems more and more people are turning off their landlines and relying totally on their cell phones.

I am partial to my landline. The sound quality is better. I have to be home to use it and I like the privacy this affords me. And, I always know where it is.

I bought a cell to have for an emergency that might arise when I am out of my home, or if the home phone service is out of order for some reason. The sound quality is substandard. I am not fond of texting. I am not fond of being interrupted when I am out doing errands or chores or at appointments.

I rarely have the need to be connected to the hustle and bustle via a device 24/7. Usually, I am trying to find ways to disconnect.

So, I am wondering what type of phone works better for your life?


I share this view and thank Kobi for posting it...saves me the trouble of having to type out all that.

[Cin]

I truly do not understand the lure of the cell phone. I can't work out why I would want to pay at least 5x the price for sub standard phone service. I do get that it isn't about the ability to actually talk to other people that makes cell phones so popular, it's the convenience, the texting and I guess the access, via a tiny little window, to the internet ,while you walk about the world unchained. It is more pracitcal, I suppose, than lugging around a laptop or even a tablet. So while I understand what the attraction is, I just don't get why it's attractive.

In all fairness I really don't have a ton of friends, and of the ones I have I don't have many who I want a constant connection to. And I don't want to have to explain to anyone when and why I have turned off my cell phone. The only person I want a constant connection to and to answer to as to my reasons for not being available to her is my wife. And contrary to popular belief, I don't need a cell phone to do that.

This is not to say that there haven't been times when I wished I had a cell phone, like if my car breaks down or I need to call for help for some reason. Pay phones are relatively non existent. But the once a year need is not worth the price of admission. I do, however, resent how owning a cell phone is becoming almost a necessity rather than a convenience with the disappearance of pay phones.

I also resent how mobile games, which allow google and apple big % cuts in the revenue, are pushing web browser games into obscurity simply because they don't get the cuts from them. That's really the reason although there is a smoke and mirrors thing about adobe's inability to provide security. There is not a financial incentive for them to try for security because mobile games are much more lucrative so nobody wants to continue to support web browser flash games. Because of cell phones and other mobile devices the death of flash player is pretty much a given and the days of web-browser-flash games are numbered. This makes me sad since I really enjoy my web-browser-flash games. If cell phones fell off the face of the earth and took tablets, notebooks and even laptops with them I for one wouldn't cry.

[Kätzchen]

So, last time I posted here, I had a tiny cell phone that no one on earth could use, but I cut services to landline phone and Internet service because I couldn't afford to ship my notebook overseas to have it fixed (reconfigured, fixed). What's left of my Linux notebook still sits on my dining room table.

Since then, a close family friend gave me a smart phone to use.
I pay for a part of the family plan (my usage fees).

I'm closer to 'smoke signals' than I've ever been because I won't pay outrageous fees for internet, land line phone service or even singular mobile / cell phone service.

My mom is pissed off with me that I won't participate in her version of relentless texts, which happens at all hours of the day or night. I finally banned my mom from texting me because I refuse to text (P E R I O D).

I like having this smart phone but my sanity comes first .

[theoddz]

When cell phones first became popular, I vowed that I wouldn't get suckered into that "trap" of constant availability. I was able to effectively shun the cell phone trap until my aging parents, who lived far away from me, began to develop health problems. I finally broke down. I never disconnected my land line, though, and still have one to this day.

In my world, just because a phone rings does not mean that I am required to answer it.....period. I am not Pavlov's dog. I rarely answer my cell phone...ever. This is a carryover from my working days in a busy hospital, in a profession that made it very difficult for me to get interrupted from what I was doing in patient care. This is why I don't usually give my cell number out to anyone. If I do, I always state that, for the most part, I will not answer it. The phone is there for my convenience, not yours. I pay the bill and this is my prerogative. Even with my land line, I don't always answer the phone, even if I'm sitting right next to it. It depends on if I feel like talking. I find it very, very difficult to "visit" on the phone. If you call me and get me on the phone, tell me what you're calling about and get to the point. I don't do "small talk" on the phone. It's just how I am. This is why I have an answering machine (voice mail for the cell phone). It's a quick way to tell me what you need to say and make sure I get your message.

I know, I sound like a "heel", but I'm really not. I'm just an extremely private person. I the past years, I've noticed that there are really quite a few folks who are like me, too.

~Theo~ :bouquet:

[Tuff Stuff]

I need both,so I have both...:whoop:

[Bèsame*]

There is no landline here. At my old house, I had one just for alarm purposes.

I do have a cell phone. I fought it long and hard, because I didn't want to be available to anyone at anytime. But then came single, flirting purposes...lol

I have a smart phone and I rarely get phone calls. This phone has become my map, calculator, note taker, camera and keeps me being a miss know it all!

Last week, I impressed my Mom, with just asking it stuff. She would just say...just ask your phone! too cute, Mom.

[not2shygrrl]

I live in the woods, and need phone service. Analog phones as I knew them growing up (home phones) are becoming a thing of the past. Chances are if you have a bundle for service then your phone service is digital. I hate this, the digital service for home phone sucks where I live. I do not have an option for analog. :(

Cell reception was non existent until I am about a mile and a half away from my house. I just bought a used (ebay) network extender for verizon service and it works wonderfully!! I have cell reception throughout my house and yard area!! Like, 4 bars... Yippie!! My plan is to drop the bundle, use my cell, (network extender) and my just bought smart tv with channel apps, and a movie service and just pay for internet.

The purchase of the extender was a one time thing, there is no monthly fee to activate it on your account, but you do need internet service to plug into.

My monthly savings will be $40-ish by doing this. Hey, that is a tank of gas, or a chunk out of my electric bill, or pay my insurance and so on. I am all about that !!

[imperfect_cupcake]

I have a cell phone and no landline.
Landline is more expensive and I get plagued by people selling things on it. I haven't had a land line in.... 10 years?
Couldn't afford them.

I don't get interrupted by my cell phone if I don't want it to interrupt me because I
A) turn it off if I don't want to be disturbed
Or
B) put it on "select calls only" which mean it will only notify me if its my parents, my best mate, my next door neighbour or my flatmate. I select who is on that list for emergencies. If I don't answer it, they can leave a message or text me.
C) I don't have to return the text till I feel like it which won't be while I'm doing something (in class, at a store, or working).

Sometimes if I go for a walk I just leave it at home. There is no law that says I have to take it with me.