Landline and/or Cell Phone
Feb 7, 2023 13:18:05 #
I'm still trying to decide what to do about Spectrum and YouTube TV. Clicking on the Free Trial, I can watch for twenty minutes before committing to the free week. It looks like I have to sign up to get the free week, so it's not a free trial. It's a free week, maybe. They still call it a free trial, though. Does the twenty minutes begin when I sign on or when I turn on the TV?
So, here's my question. How many of you rely on cell phone only, with no landline in the house? I have phone, cable, and Internet with Spectrum - Triple Play. If I drop one of them, the price for the other two will go up. It's a nasty trap. I know that when I eventually call them, I will get the runaround. There is no way they will simply give me the cost of the individual services.
I figure if I drop both phone and cable, the monthly cost, even with $72 YouTube TV, should be lower than the $202 of Charter/Spectrum. We use TracFone, so the monthly charge is almost non-existent.
So, here's my question. How many of you rely on cell phone only, with no landline in the house? I have phone, cable, and Internet with Spectrum - Triple Play. If I drop one of them, the price for the other two will go up. It's a nasty trap. I know that when I eventually call them, I will get the runaround. There is no way they will simply give me the cost of the individual services.
I figure if I drop both phone and cable, the monthly cost, even with $72 YouTube TV, should be lower than the $202 of Charter/Spectrum. We use TracFone, so the monthly charge is almost non-existent.
Feb 7, 2023 13:37:26 #
Feb 7, 2023 13:58:47 #
NMGal wrote:
My monthly cell phone bill is $25. The landline was $65. No contest.
Thanks.
Feb 7, 2023 13:59:12 #
rck281
Loc: Overland Park, KS
If you want a land line, just sign up with a VOIP service for $8 to $10 a month. I know several people with Ooma.
Feb 7, 2023 14:00:10 #
rck281 wrote:
If you want a land line, just sign up with a VOIP service for $8 to $10 a month. I know several people with Ooma.
Interesting. Can I keep my phone number?
Feb 7, 2023 14:00:38 #
SteveFranz
Loc: Durham, NC
I use OOMA for my landline. It's super easy to install and to transfer your old landline number. (at least it was 10-15 years ago when I made the switch) Cost for basic service is about $6.50 a month after taxes and fees. Never had any issues. You buy the base unit and have the option of buy their handsets, or using your old handsets. I've always used mine.
Feb 7, 2023 14:14:52 #
SteveFranz wrote:
I use OOMA for my landline. It's super easy to install and to transfer your old landline number. (at least it was 10-15 years ago when I made the switch) Cost for basic service is about $6.50 a month after taxes and fees. Never had any issues. You buy the base unit and have the option of buy their handsets, or using your old handsets. I've always used mine.
OOMA say free nationwide calling. Does that require their $99 phone?
Feb 7, 2023 14:27:04 #
jerryc41 wrote:
I'm still trying to decide what to do about Spectr... (show quote)
We gave up our land line in 2014. Despite the National Do Not Call list, we got too many junk calls, especially from politicians and "Microsoft Tech Support" scammers.
The whole family has smartphones. So cutting the land line was an easy decision. My cell number is on the Do Not Call List, but now I get junk calls daily. If you sign up for ANYTHING on AARP, apparently, they share your phone number all over the world. I get 4-7 calls a day from folks trying to sell me solar panels, despite an easily researchable law that prohibits them in our city.
Feb 7, 2023 14:46:48 #
It all depends. Our landline comes with our Verizon triple package. The incoming phone caller name shows up on our TV screen. A great boon to help us pick up or not. My cell phone is not on all the time so we still use the landline. Our cells are on Consumer Cellular. Tracfone couldn't handle problems. But we are we and you are you.
Feb 7, 2023 15:25:28 #
I dropped landlines back in '14 - dropped Direct TV in '18 and went streaming with YouTube - we have NextLink Internet (wireless provider) and our cell phones. We are happy with the set up - YouTube includes the local channels so we have our local new/weather/sports and there are national/international new stations that stream if you're a news hound...
We camp often in a travel trailer and belong to a owners group - some of them use their cell phones (with unlimted data plans) to stream and then send it to their TV - seems to work for them.
I remember when I could get full cable service for $49 a month - TV stations / Internet / Music stations - all was good - then they started raising the prices every year - it got out of hand and we decided it wasn't worth it...
We camp often in a travel trailer and belong to a owners group - some of them use their cell phones (with unlimted data plans) to stream and then send it to their TV - seems to work for them.
I remember when I could get full cable service for $49 a month - TV stations / Internet / Music stations - all was good - then they started raising the prices every year - it got out of hand and we decided it wasn't worth it...
Feb 7, 2023 15:43:20 #
MrBossHK
Loc: The West Valley of Phoenix metro area
Another recommendation for Ooma. 8 years of trouble free economical service.
Feb 7, 2023 16:02:55 #
MrBossHK
Loc: The West Valley of Phoenix metro area
jerryc41 wrote:
OOMA say free nationwide calling. Does that require their $99 phone?
As SteveFranz said, you only need to purchase the "base unit", Ooma Telo https://www.ooma.com/home-phone/ooma-telo/ currently $99 for ethernet wired model or $129 for the wireless unit with wifi connection.
I cannot vouch for the quality of the wireless Telo base unit. I have the ethernet connected unit and it has performed flawlessly for me for 8 years.
You do not have to use an Ooma branded phone. You can connect whatever phone you have to the "phone" port on the Ooma Telo base unit. I use a Panasonic cordless system with 5 extensions.
Best Buy and Costco currently have some nice bundles of base units and handsets on sale. The Ooma website will direct you to those options under the "SHOP" tab.
Feb 7, 2023 16:33:00 #
jerryc41 wrote:
I'm still trying to decide what to do about Spectr... (show quote)
I have the tripple play too but I am disapointed that the so called landline is VOIP so if the internet out the phone is out.
Feb 8, 2023 05:49:19 #
jerryc41 wrote:
I'm still trying to decide what to do about Spectr... (show quote)
I dropped my land line 20+ years ago, and I missed it like I missed a sore Ahhh thumb.
Feb 8, 2023 06:00:57 #
live4summer
Loc: Long Island, NY
Jerry, I went through the same thing about a year ago. I had the triple play package with Optimum and was paying $279 a month. Although friends were advising me to cut the cord, I was a bit concerned that I might regret it. The only regret I have is not doing it years ago. My bill went from $279 to $94 for wifi, I don’t miss the landline at all (the only people who still called my landline were scammers), and YouTube TV offers me more channels than I was getting with my “core plus” package with Optimum. I stream Netflix, Apple TV, and Prime and I’m still well below what I was paying for cable. Like I said, my only regret was not doing it sooner.
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