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joyce_6333

Totally OT, but could I ask...

joyce_6333
11 years ago

What phone service are you using in your new home? We've been in our home several months now, and this month our landline phone bill went up 36% because of federal taxes. We called them, and they said this is not just a one time thing, but our phone bill will be this higher amount forever. So...we are considering other options for our home phone. DH and I each have our own cell phones.

I would greatly appreciate hearing which phone service you use, and how much are you paying. I was going to post on the Home Finance Forum, but it gets very little traffic.

Thanks.

Joyce

Comments (8)

  • DLM2000-GW
    11 years ago

    We switched to Ooma from AT&T and our monthly bill is $3.96. Yup. $3.96. Caller ID, call waiting etc. I found out about it on the conversation side of the Decorating board here at GW - there is someone there to help with anything you could ever need!!! At first I was skeptical because the dial tone sounded like a tin can - and it still does - but the calls are crystal clear so who cares about the dial tone! bought ours at Costco because they have a 90 day return policy on all electronics and if I hated it, I could return it. Used it with a phone number I got from Ooma to test it out then ported the land line number we've had forever to it. Unfortunately, we had to keep a basic landline number for the credit card machine that my husband needs for his business but this has still cut our phone bill by $75/ month.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Ooma

  • kirkhall
    11 years ago

    We dropped our landline, and actually in our area, and our demographic, this is becoming more and more common--just cell phones for us.
    And, I noticed (and assume other carriers do this and not just mine), that our wireless carrier now offers a home station as part of the add-a-line family plan options. So for $9.99/mo you can have a "home line" cell line that operates similar to landlines... I've been thinking of doing that since my 7 yo is probably old enough to start needing to use a phone every now and then at home (when she makes it home on the bus a little before I do).

    However, I've also learned that it is more and more common for 7 yr olds to have cell phones.
    I've linked an article with information about cell phones for kids/percentages... 20%+ of 3rd graders have a cell phone.

    Here is a link that might be useful: cell phones for kids

  • pbx2_gw
    11 years ago

    Cell phones only for us too.
    & VOIP via Skype or GVoice also if I don't want something on my ears.

    In this day ^ age, we couldn't justify having a land-line.

  • joyce_6333
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    dlm: Thanks for the recommendation of Ooma. It looks like exactly what we need. DH actually talked to them this afternoon, and we'll be switching real soon.

    Thanks again.

  • phoggie
    11 years ago

    I have been told that I need a land line home phone for an emergency and 911 tracing.......is this not true?

  • cleanfreak0419
    11 years ago

    no land line here. Mobile only, going on 4 years now. no issues

  • worthy
    11 years ago

    I have been told that I need a land line home phone for an emergency and 911 tracing.......is this not true?

    911 cell phone calls are traceable but cannot be exactly pinpointed.

    That said, a family member was disconsolate and threatening suicide, we learned, when several constables showed up at our door at two in the morning looking for him. Three police services had tracked him across the region till they traced him to the vicinity of our home. He was actually asleep in a guest room and we weren't aware of all the commotion he had caused. All better now, btw.

  • minneapolisite
    11 years ago

    We've never had a landline phone...but we're actually going to get one with CenturyLink in our new house. Right now, the bundled Satellite (Dish) + Internet (CenturyLink) + Phone (CenturyLink) is cheaper than having separate Internet (Comcast) and Satellite (Dish).