Landline phone question

[Ann Dorfman]

Hi Neighbors,

My husband and I are looking at our internet/cable/phone bill and thinking we are paying a lot. One option we are considering is to drop the cable and phone and pay a much lower amount for just internet. We barely watch TV and could stream most of what we do watch, but I have a somewhat irrational reluctance to give up our landline which we’ve had for over 30 years. I know many young people never have a landline, but I am curious to hear from other old-timers who have made this change and if they have any regrets.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Ann

[Dan Proskauer]

We keep talking about doing that, but haven't. We have internet + landline from Verizon (no cable).  We haven't had cable for 20 years and no regrets on that front...  We use Over The Air broadcast using a little digital antenna and a receiver card in a PC.  The big TV is connected to the PC so we can watch over the air broadcast, recorded (think TiVO) broadcasts or streaming all in our livingroom without changing anything.  We've been set up that way for years and it is great (and free except for NetFlix subscription or whatever).

We hardly ever even answer the landline though.  I don't know why we still have it, to be honest.  Inertia maybe.

- Dan

Ann

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[Mike Ciolino]

Happy New Year Ann - I'm in the tech business which probably somewhat disqualifies my opinion - I gave up landline many years ago - There are two considerations that immediately came to mind.

1- Make sure you are both 100% comfortable with your cell phones and your cell service works consistently well in and around your home. You never want to feel like you are unable to make or receive a call.

2- Realize that people who now call one number to reach you both - will now need to choose who to call. If kids are inclined to call mom vs dad - It may feel isolating.

3- Biggest 'problem' will be re-educating 30 years worth of connections to call a new number - Although you could retain ownership of the landline number for a period of time and forwarding all calls to one of your cellphones 

So, you may need a make a few adjustments ... But do you need a landline - No.

Mike

---

Mike Ciolino

617-332-9588

LinkedIn Profile

On Tue, Jan 2, 2018 at 1:38 PM, Ann Dorfman <dorfm...@comcast.net> wrote:

Ann

[Mike Ciolino]

One other tip - We also just recently dumped cable service - this is becoming easier and easier - 

We buy only internet service from FIOS and subscribe to YouTubeTV for $35/Month which live streams all the following channels: 

WBZ 4 WCVB WMUR NBC BOSTON FOX 25 56 ESPN ESPN2 DISNEY AMC BBC AMERICA FX POP USA NAT GEO SYFY BRAVO E SUNDANCE OXYGEN WE MSNBC NECN CNBC

---

Mike Ciolino

617-332-9588

LinkedIn Profile

On Tue, Jan 2, 2018 at 1:58 PM, Dan Proskauer <dpr...@gmail.com> wrote:

We keep talking about doing that, but haven't. We have internet + landline from Verizon (no cable).  We haven't had cable for 20 years and no regrets on that front...  We use Over The Air broadcast using a little digital antenna and a receiver card in a PC.  The big TV is connected to the PC so we can watch over the air broadcast, recorded (think TiVO) broadcasts or streaming all in our livingroom without changing anything.  We've been set up that way for years and it is great (and free except for NetFlix subscription or whatever).

We hardly ever even answer the landline though.  I don't know why we still have it, to be honest.  Inertia maybe.

- Dan

On Tue, Jan 2, 2018 at 1:38 PM, Ann Dorfman <dorfm...@comcast.net> wrote:

Hi Neighbors,

My husband and I are looking at our internet/cable/phone bill and thinking we are paying a lot. One option we are considering is to drop the cable and phone and pay a much lower amount for just internet. We barely watch TV and could stream most of what we do watch, but I have a somewhat irrational reluctance to give up our landline which we’ve had for over 30 years. I know many young people never have a landline, but I am curious to hear from other old-timers who have made this change and if they have any regrets.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Ann

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[James Cote]

Great feedback Mike!  On point #2. our kids of all ages have figured that out by using their "personal best deal analysis."  They will call Albie, or me,  depending upon who they believe will provide the desired answer.

Have a Happy start to the year.
Jim

James Cote

Councilor at Large, Ward 3

City of Newton, Massachusetts

cote...@gmail.com

www.coteward3.com

508 983-4535

“I never had a policy; I have just tried to do my very best each and every day.” – Abraham Lincoln

On Tue, Jan 2, 2018 at 1:58 PM, Mike Ciolino <mi...@verveboston.com> wrote:

Happy New Year Ann - I'm in the tech business which probably somewhat disqualifies my opinion - I gave up landline many years ago - There are two considerations that immediately came to mind.

1- Make sure you are both 100% comfortable with your cell phones and your cell service works consistently well in and around your home. You never want to feel like you are unable to make or receive a call.

2- Realize that people who now call one number to reach you both - will now need to choose who to call. If kids are inclined to call mom vs dad - It may feel isolating.

3- Biggest 'problem' will be re-educating 30 years worth of connections to call a new number - Although you could retain ownership of the landline number for a period of time and forwarding all calls to one of your cellphones 

So, you may need a make a few adjustments ... But do you need a landline - No.

Mike

---

Mike Ciolino

617-332-9588

LinkedIn Profile

On Tue, Jan 2, 2018 at 1:38 PM, Ann Dorfman <dorfm...@comcast.net> wrote:

Hi Neighbors,

My husband and I are looking at our internet/cable/phone bill and thinking we are paying a lot. One option we are considering is to drop the cable and phone and pay a much lower amount for just internet. We barely watch TV and could stream most of what we do watch, but I have a somewhat irrational reluctance to give up our landline which we’ve had for over 30 years. I know many young people never have a landline, but I am curious to hear from other old-timers who have made this change and if they have any regrets.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Ann

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[Lisa Gordon]

We only have a landline because we have kids living at home and want to make sure we are easily located in case of an emergency. Otherwise we would probably be cell phone only. The technology to accurately pin point a cell phone location is almost there, but not quite. So that may be a consideration for you. Also, if you do give it up, but are attached to the phone number you can have the number easily ported to a google phone number or your cell phone.

--Lisa

On Tue, Jan 2, 2018 at 1:38 PM, Ann Dorfman <dorfm...@comcast.net> wrote:

Ann

[Jim Frances]

e911 works best from a land line. Also, if you like to contact the City of Newton via 311 customer service, that 311 number only works from a land line, not from cell phones.

Cell phone audio quality is not as good as land line audio quality.

The land line (which if provided by a cable operator like Verizon FIOS or Comcast) is probably really a VoIP line. If there is a power outage, it has a backup battery which should last approx. 8 hours. During a power outage are you comfortable relying on your cell phone to be charged, and have battery backup? If you are, then go for it.

Jim Frances

www.TelePhotojournalism.com

[Heather Ozhogin]

Hi everyone,

I have only my cell phone. I few years ago I called 911 to report a car accident and my call was sent to a statewide call center who asked where I was located and routed my call to the appropriate police department. This extra step took a few minutes, which concerns me since 911 calls typically need response ASAP. Does anyone know how to avoid this extra step using a cell phone and have your call go to the correct police station?

-Heather

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[Emily Norton]

I had the same thought last year but when I contacted my cable company (Verizon) the landline was only $10 a month, ie not a big part of the bill, and at that time I was on some deal with them so I was actually getting it for free, so instead I dropped just the cable.

[Miles Smith]

Good points all, Mike. So how do you still have a 332 exchange- did you have it forwarded?

One other issue: at times of crisis (think marathon bombing, the Halloween blizzard when cell tower generators ran out of fuel) cell circuits quickly get overloaded or unavailable. Getting calls thru can be very difficult- just when you need them most. Chances are very slim, but it is a chance.

I went from two copper lines, to one copper/ one FIOS, now just one over FIOS. Hard to give it up.

m

 

---

Miles Smith
m_soun...@yahoo.com

He has van Gogh's ear for music
-Billy Wilder

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From: Mike Ciolino <mi...@verveboston.com>
To: dorfm...@comcast.net
Cc: "westnewtonn...@googlegroups.com" <westnewtonn...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 2, 2018 1:58 PM
Subject: Re: [WNewton] Landline phone question

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[Jim Frances]

You cannot avoid that “extra step” with a cell phone. When you dial 911 on a cell phone it automatically routes to the statewide MA State Police because the cell phone is not registered to a fixed place like the land line is. The land line is the fastest identified emergency call to 911 because of e911. It automatically routes to your local police.

Also, if you have a legacy copper land line, that is the best to keep because it will still operate in a power outage (without battery backup). But the phone/cable companies have been getting rid of them for many years now. The “modern” land Line will work in a power outage for approx. 8 hours with its backup battery.

Jim Frances
www.TelePhotojournalism.com
617-733-4006 Sent from my iPhone

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[Lauren Mackler]

I have the local Newton police number in my cell phone favorites so I can call them directly if needed.

Sent from my iPhone

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[Mike Ciolino]

Miles, my 332 was originally a landline that I ported over from RCN to Verizon when I made the switch. I think you can still port your landline # over to your cell plan making the switch a bit easier.

I've got a higher tollerence for risk than most, but if an extra 2 minute 911 call makes the diff for whether I live or not, I'd say my time here was up.

--

Mike Ciolino
617-332-9588
verveboston.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ciolinomike

[Jim Frances]

This is a very interesting thread. Thanks all.

One more point re: e911 on a home or office land line phone. My understanding is, that if someone who cannot speak (presumably due to a medical emergency) is able to dial 911 from a land line, emergency services will respond to the address of the e911 land line. They will respond regardless of whether they can hear you or not. Although this seems a rather depressing reason to retain a land line, it is a factor that one might consider in the decision.

A cell phone will not necessarily get this response. And technically, locating the cell phone is more difficult, than the e911 land line.

Jim

Jim Frances, Director of Photography

Television Photojournalism

Newton, MA

www.TelePhotojournalism.com

617-527-1655 mobile: 617-733-4006

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[Ann Dorfman]

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful comments! This has been very interesting and informative. 

The ability to easily reach and have my location identifiable by local 911 is a definite advance to keeping a landline. Lauren’s solution of putting Newton's police number in her cell phone favorites so police can be reached directly no matter where she is sounds like a good idea, but here’s some more information.

I called the Newton Police to find out if calling them directly was an idea they supported and leaned the following useful information:

1). Even if you do not have landline phone service, if you have a phone jack in your house and plug in a corded phone (one with a cord that does not require a battery), even though you may not hear a dial tone, when you dial 911 the call will go to local 911 and police will dispatch a unit to your address. I called Comcast and they confirmed that even if there is a power outage or you discontinue phone service with them the call will go through to 911! You may not be able to talk to anyone, but they will know there is an emergency at your address and send emergency help. Who knew??! (I wish there were a way to test this out without calling 911). 

2). Calling the general Newton police number requires you to listen to a long automated response before you can reach a dispatcher. If you dial their business line instead at 617-796-2123 you will go directly to a dispatcher, so that is the number you should put in your cell phone favorites. However, the dispatcher I spoke with said that getting transferred from the state police 911 dispatcher to the Newton dispatcher should not take long, and that Newton Police may not quickly pick up a call to their non-emergency business line if they are dealing with a 911 emergency. 

3). If you do call 911 from a cell phone the first thing you should do is tell them your street address and city.

4). Another reason 911 responds to an address when they receive a call and no one speaks is because of the concern that the caller may be a victim of some form of abuse or violence, so if you are ever in a dangerous situation where you are afraid to speak you should still call 911 and they will send help.

Thanks again everyone, your comments will help us think through this decision.

Ann

[Matt Richter]

I think you can text 911 now.

[Tricia Amend Bombara]

Not in Massachusetts, AFAIK.  "Until Text-to-9-1-1 service is implemented in Massachusetts, anyone attempting to Text- to- 9-1-1 will receive an automatic “bounce-back” message indicating that Text-to-9-1-1 is not yet available, and advising them to use another method to contact 9-1-1."

On Wed, Jan 3, 2018 at 11:29 PM, Matt Richter <matthew...@gmail.com> wrote:

I think you can text 911 now.

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[resry]

Thanks, Ann, for this great information!

Leslie W.

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[Greer Swiston]

We gave up our landline many years ago as well.

A consideration is checking to see if you can keep your phone number through something like Google Voice or something because.

1) Google voice can forward to more than one phone number

2) Google voice does give you the ability to receive calls anywhere there is wifi, even if you don’t have cell service

That said, many older numbers can NOT be transferred.   We did end up losing our phone number.

Thank you to Anne about phone jacks even with no service.  I will save my corded phone for that purpose.

Sent from my iPad

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