I'm getting a cellphone. Should I keep my land line?

[Dixon]

Advice, please!

I've finally decided to break down and get a cellphone, partly because Credo (formerly Working Assets) is offering a good deal. Since I haven't much $$, I thought I'd economize by getting rid of my land line and using my cellphone as my only phone. Is there any reason I should go to the expense of keeping my land line?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

Techneanderthal Dixon

[debbus]

Advice, please!



Techneanderthal Dixon

I keep mine for health reasons-don't want a cell phone up at my ear for very long.

[Barry]

I keep mine because it facilitates my DSL line.

[lifequest]

One other reason for keeping a land line - if the power goes out for a long time, you still have a working phone while the cells power down.

[Cheingrand]

One other reason for keeping a land line - if the power goes out for a long time, you still have a working phone while the cells power down.

Maybe it's a generational thing, too. Neither my son nor my daughter (in their late 20s and early 30s) see the need for a hard line phone. They've gotten by with only cell phones for several years. They tap into wi-fi on their laptops either at free commercial places or by tapping into someone's wi-fi that is not password protected. They know that if the power is out they can always charge their phones in their cars (I think my son has a solar charger as well). They believe it would be redundant and an unnecessary expense to also have a wired phone in their homes.

I'm a baby-boomer and I have both wired and cell-phone because I'm not comfortable without a wired phone in the house. I even keep a rotary dial around just in case (of what I'm not sure). Of course I have a cell phone for when I'm out of the house. My kids think I'm wasting money.

[sonomabound]

I haven't had a land line in about 8 years (living in NYC, LA, and now here), and never missed it. I use the internet phone, Skype (skype.com for anyone who is unfamiliar) for the months when I risk going over on my minutes or for super cheap international calls.
If you have health worries about holding the phone to your head, you could use a non-bluetooth headset.
Of course, it depends on the service in your house. In the new place I just moved to I am having issues for the first time - I just have to make sure I leave my phone in an area of the house that has service if I want to receive calls!

Advice, please!

I've finally decided to break down and get a cellphone, partly because Credo (formerly Working Assets) is offering a good deal. Since I haven't much $$, I thought I'd economize by getting rid of my land line and using my cellphone as my only phone. Is there any reason I should go to the expense of keeping my land line?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

Techneanderthal Dixon

[Jupiter13]

I would recommend keeping your land line. The research emerging about cell phone use and other electromagnetic exposure is grim. I am now only using mine for emergencies.

Go to Electromagnetic Health and The BioInitiative Report for good info. A growing number of scientists and doctors are concerned about the impact on human health.

France has now pulled all Wi-Fi in their elementary schools based on the Bioinitiative report (based on something like 3,000 studies.) Here in America, people don't know much about it as it hasn't had much media coverage.

Our culture has embraced this technology so quickly without looking critically at the science that shows the harm to humans, animals and the environment.

I learned some helpful things that increased my understanding of how microwave radiation works. For example, it reflects off of metal. Using a cell phone in a car is a very bad idea. The radiation is stronger since the phone is moving from network to network searching for a signal and the radiation is reflecting around in the car, affecting everyone in it.

Headsets transmit the radiation deeper into your ear, closer to your brain and also transmit it to any part of your body that the cord touches.

BlueTooth headsets are worst than having a cell phone to your ear as the frequency is lower and recent research shows that lower frequencies can cause more harm. Plus, they are on all the time.

Best to use a cell phone for quick emergency calls and only use it on speaker phone holding it as far away from your body as is practical. Turn it off when not in use or you will continue to be exposed to radiation, often close to our bodies in purses or pockets.

I hope those of us who are eco-conscious can get educated and organized to limit our exposure and challenge the telecom industries disregard for our collective health.

Best,

Sasha

[bodegahead]

That is the case if you have an old fashioned land line phone. If you have the more common cordless land line, it will not work without electric power. If you have a cell phone and a car charger (about 15 bucks at wlmart or kmart) and a car with gas in it you can keep your cell phone going for many days.

One other reason for keeping a land line - if the power goes out for a long time, you still have a working phone while the cells power down.

[typewriter]

I am a 20-something and have both --though like a previous poster said, most people I know in my age range only have a cell phone.

My reasons? I find talking on a cell phone to be tedious, for one. I own a business and find it much more effective to conduct calls via landline (or skype, though in so many cases clients have no idea what it is).

When I work with clients by phone and the reception is fuzzy or they get dropped & have to call back it all contributes to billable hours...and when I'm looking for contractors I want a reliable connection so that communication is not disrupted constantly.

I agree with most of the other reasons posted here as well...

[StormDancer]

Another reason for keeping a land-line is 911 calls. They are answered MUCH quicker when made from a land line. If you need to call the Fire Department or an ambulance, the extra 5-10 minutes it takes them to verify your location could be deadly.
The best way to remedy this is to keep the direct numbers for your local police, fire and ambulance in your speed dialer.
-AnnaLisa

[hales]

Hi, Dixon..
I don't think you need to keep your land-line, unless you feel like using a cell phone a lot might be bad for your health. (Or you need it for your computer).. You can buy an earbud with a wire, or a blue-tooth device, that puts out less radiation than the phone, but I wouldn't worry much if you are not on the phone for hours a day. There are so many extra fees and taxes on phone bills, it's frustrating. Congratulations if you are able to stream line your life with fewer bills and possessions!

BTW, did you end up in Petaluma, or back in Sonoma area, or what, Dixon? We never did get together when you lived near the Barking Dog.. ; )

Scott.

Advice, please!

I've finally decided to break down and get a cellphone, partly because Credo (formerly Working Assets) is offering a good deal. Since I haven't much $$, I thought I'd economize by getting rid of my land line and using my cellphone as my only phone. Is there any reason I should go to the expense of keeping my land line?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

Techneanderthal Dixon

[scamperwillow]

I need a land line since I work from home and get terrible reception on my cell. I don't like talking on a cell phone when I have another option - much clearer and more reliable.

[dana]

Well, keep in mind that my income is less than one-quarter that of the average wacco who answered the survey, but if i were making that decision, i'd look at the cost of the smallest possible number of minutes per month on the cel, plus landline's cost, versus making long distance calls from the landline.

[santarosie]

I got rid of my land line last time I moved. It saves me over $20 month....close to $300 per year. The only calls I ever got on it were from telephone solicitors... so good riddance to bad rubbish.

All of my friends and family call my cell phone, I can see their caller ID (without paying extra) and I have it with me wherever I am, not just at home, so no important calls are missed or delayed. I get excellent coverage from Verizon in the areas I frequent. Only $40/month for 450 minutes which includes long distance (plenty for my needs), and calls to/from other Verizon accounts are included (many of my contacts have it too) plus I get a 15% discount through my employer.

The only caveat is that I can use my work number in situations where providing a contact number to outsiders is absolutely required (like businesses, the library, DMV, etc.), because I only give out my cell number to friends and family.

And I agree with AnnaLisa, put in the direct emergency numbers for local police/ambulance/fire, so you don't have to call 911 from your cell phone in an emergency situation.