AIBU?
To ditch the phone landline
HopingNotCoping · 16/09/2022 14:30
Trying to cut back on bills and am thinking about ditching the landline, which we never use as we only really make calls on DHs phone (which has free minutes). My phone pretty much only used on wifi for internet calls (though it does have some credit on so could be used in an emergency).
Will save us about £7 a month. We rarely use it but I always had in my head it was good for emergencies - always there in the same place (unlike mobiles), could conceivably be used by kids to dial 999 etc (they are actually too young currently but I would have taught eldest in a year or so).
Has anyone else ditched the land line, what do you teach your kids to do in an emergency?
Am I being unreasonable?
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SparklyLeprechaun · 16/09/2022 14:32
I've not had a landline for at least 10 years, I don't know anyone who still has one. My parents are in their 80s now and have ditched their landline years ago.
Regarding kids, if they are too young to have a phone then they are too young to be left home alone, so they can use your mobile to dial 999.
Ponderingwindow · 16/09/2022 14:39
When we built our house 15 years ago, we didn’t bother to install phone lines. we did wire the whole house for high speed internet.
2pinkginsplease · 16/09/2022 14:40
We pay for our landlines as bizarrely the package is cheaper with it but we haven't had a house phone connected for about 8 years. We just use our mobiles.
HopingNotCoping · 16/09/2022 14:41
SparklyLeprechaun · 16/09/2022 14:32
I've not had a landline for at least 10 years, I don't know anyone who still has one. My parents are in their 80s now and have ditched their landline years ago.
Regarding kids, if they are too young to have a phone then they are too young to be left home alone, so they can use your mobile to dial 999.
I guess my thought was that they wouldn't necessarily know where our phones were. (I'm terrible for leaving mine in random spots round the house!). Maybe I'm overthinking this though.
HopingNotCoping · 16/09/2022 14:42
2pinkginsplease · 16/09/2022 14:40
We pay for our landlines as bizarrely the package is cheaper with it but we haven't had a house phone connected for about 8 years. We just use our mobiles.
This was the case with us until recently which is why we've never had to decide if it was worth it before!
steelseries · 16/09/2022 14:43
I doubt you'll miss it. I haven't called a house phone in about 15 years.
Kevinthesnipe · 16/09/2022 14:45
Not had a landline for a few years. We have an echo show that can make phone calls if I didn’t have my mobile to hand
Lovetogarden2022 · 16/09/2022 14:54
We've never had a landline and we've lived here 8 years.
My mum and dad are the only people I know with a landline and the majority of calls they get are rubbishy scam ones. They have friends who don't use their mobile phones though so they keep it to talk to them
Crikeyalmighty · 16/09/2022 14:56
We have ultra high speed fibre to the premises and apparently can't have a land line as well
Jojoanna · 16/09/2022 16:54
We haven't had a house phone for years, was considering getting one for emergencies, manly because the DC complain they can't get hold of my DH when I'm not there. He never answers his mobile it's usually left in a drawer somewhere
HopingNotCoping · 16/09/2022 17:50
steelseries · 16/09/2022 14:43
I doubt you'll miss it. I haven't called a house phone in about 15 years.
No, I agree we won't miss it day to day. It's literally just the 999 angle that gives me pause.
User354354 · 16/09/2022 19:17
2pinkginsplease · 16/09/2022 14:40
We pay for our landlines as bizarrely the package is cheaper with it but we haven't had a house phone connected for about 8 years. We just use our mobiles.
Same here. It was another £10 PM to take it off the package. Haven't had an actual land line phone for years
Jammysod · 16/09/2022 20:10
We ditched ours years ok. We just use our mobiles & DS knows how to use it in an emergency
NotJustAnybody · 16/09/2022 20:37
I haven't had a landline for nearly 20 yrs. My DS was never left alone, even for 10 mins until he was around 10 and by then had his own phone anyway.
gogohmm · 16/09/2022 20:39
Haven't used a landline in 5 years. We technically have one for broadband but no phone plugged in
MongoOnlyPawnInGameOfLife · 16/09/2022 21:10
Just given our 30 days notice but I keep thinking I haven’t updated my contact number with somewhere important and it will come back to bite me in a couple of months time.
Anywhere other than the obvious school\doctor\bank I should be thinking about?
TheSpottedZebra · 16/09/2022 21:13
Crikeyalmighty · 16/09/2022 14:56
We have ultra high speed fibre to the premises and apparently can't have a land line as well
Same. But the installer said that now we're (slowly) switching to VOIP, you can just plug your phone into the router. So we kept the number, and pay nothing extra.
KangarooKenny · 16/09/2022 21:14
I have a landline as it’s part of the broadband package.
SzeliSecond · 16/09/2022 21:17
We had the line because its cheaper in than without but never had a phone plugged in until storm Desmond when all the mobiles/internet went down but landlines still worked. Luckily our old phone was in the toy box so we dug it out and its been plugged in ever since
thegcatsmother · 16/09/2022 21:27
We have and use a landline, but we don't get a brilliant mobile signal, so it's necessary.
Msgrieves · 16/09/2022 21:28
I have one with a phone attached, I don't know the number. Its pretty useless seeing as it only works when Internet is on. I think I have used it about twice when I was late paying my Internet bill. Wonder if you could plug a phone in to a non current bt socket and still be able to call 999?
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