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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to get rid of my land line

118 replies

KindleAndCake · 16/02/2023 13:55

AIBU to get rid of my land line, if I can, to save the money costs. We've all got mobiles, so people can get hold of us and we can call out. Do other people do this?

OP posts:
justadress · 18/02/2023 13:28

We moved in to our house 14 years ago and the line didn't work properly (it was really fuzzy, and any time someone called us it would disconnect the WiFi) so we unplugged the phone and left it at that- we've never missed it.

SuperSonicMonic · 18/02/2023 13:38

@AggieTop I know I can almost hear the superiority in their voices 😆

What @nokidshere said “All the internet providers that use open reach (sky, bt, talk talk, plusnet, vodaphone and more) require a landline. You don't have to have a phone or a number but the landline still needs to be physically there because they use the same cables. A quick google of Martin Lewis tells me that it's a minimal difference in cost wether you have one or not”.

Rainbowshit · 18/02/2023 13:40

We only have one as it's a requirement for our broadband. I asked if we could get rid and was told no. I don't think we even own a landline phone anymore never mind have it plugged in.

Paturday · 18/02/2023 13:41

I moved out of home at 18, I’m now 33 and have never needed a landline phone.

mamabear715 · 18/02/2023 13:46

Just a word of warning for anyone who doesn't know - if an elderly relative has a wearable alarm, the new phone service coming in will not support these. Sorry, can't remember what the thing is called, but has been mentioned several times on this thread..

LondonQueen · 18/02/2023 13:50

Very few people still have a landline. It tends to be elderly people who use them but you can always program your mobile numbers into said elderly persons phone so they can still phone you.

Sadlifter · 18/02/2023 13:51

I use mine for broadband only. Unplugged the landlines phone years ago, the only people who rang me on it were scammers and sales people!

bluebird3 · 18/02/2023 13:53

I like having one for emergencies. I can't always find my phone immediately and I know where the landline always is. Plus I have small children that know how to ring for help on it and may not be able to from my mobile if they either can't find it or can't figure it out or if it's out of batteries

Whyisitsososohard · 18/02/2023 13:56

We haven't had a land-line since 2014. I think this is massively common now. My parents have one but don't really use it. My grandad has one and uses his but still has a mobile and he's 88!

OhBeAFineGuyKissMe · 18/02/2023 14:07

We went full fibre for broadband, so no longer have a landline (with bt). It would cost more to have one and like most we don’t use it,

To be honest, I rarely use my phone to make calls either, much more likely to FaceTime/WhatsApp and have a natter on a video call.

For the concerns about the elderly, you can get simple, large button mobiles with an inexpensive pay monthly (giffgaff, smile etc…) for less than they would pay for the landline.

Corrag · 18/02/2023 14:08

All "landlines" will be VOIP by the end of 2025 anyway, so the power cut thing will be irrelevant by then. I don't agree with the plan personally but they don't seem to care about people's concerns.

www.which.co.uk/reviews/broadband/article/digital-voice-and-the-landline-phone-switch-off-what-it-means-for-you-aPSOH8k1i6Vv#when-will-my-landline-be-switched-off

IreneJones · 18/02/2023 14:11

We cancelled our landline last year as only my parents called us on it and it saved a few £££s not to have it. We have excellent super fast broadband though 🤷‍♀️

QueSyrahSyrah · 18/02/2023 14:17

I've never had one. Well it exists, for broadband, but there's never been a phone plugged into it and I've no idea of the number. Never needed one.

zingally · 18/02/2023 14:19

I still have one, but literally the only people who call me on it are my mum and (randomly) the Blood Donation Service.

Ilovetocrochet · 18/02/2023 14:19

OhBeAFineGuyKissMe · 18/02/2023 14:07

We went full fibre for broadband, so no longer have a landline (with bt). It would cost more to have one and like most we don’t use it,

To be honest, I rarely use my phone to make calls either, much more likely to FaceTime/WhatsApp and have a natter on a video call.

For the concerns about the elderly, you can get simple, large button mobiles with an inexpensive pay monthly (giffgaff, smile etc…) for less than they would pay for the landline.

Ah, but try having an elderly mother who wanders around her house, puts her mobile down and cannot find it again! Without the landline it could have been lost forever as she was prone to put it in the rubbish bin.

emptythelitterbox · 18/02/2023 14:58

Haven't had one in 10 years.

I recall staying in a hotel last year and kept hearing this ringing sound and I kept looking around the room trying to figure out what it was.
Turns out it was the landline as the front desk was trying to call.
I'm 60 so really no excuse. Grin

Our internet is fiber and there is a jack on the wall that sort of looks like a phone jack but it isn't.

girlfriend44 · 18/02/2023 14:59

no landline here, mobile is cheaper.

Whammyyammy · 18/02/2023 15:02

I don't know a single persin with a landlines at home. Wow for keeping one for so long.

Think we got rid of ours on about 2015 ish

Magi84 · 18/02/2023 15:05

I can definitely say ThinWomansBrain that both DH and I are hard of hearing, actually have very good hearing aids, but still have great difficulty with calls on the landline from mobile phones.

Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious · 18/02/2023 15:07

Corrag · 18/02/2023 14:08

All "landlines" will be VOIP by the end of 2025 anyway, so the power cut thing will be irrelevant by then. I don't agree with the plan personally but they don't seem to care about people's concerns.

www.which.co.uk/reviews/broadband/article/digital-voice-and-the-landline-phone-switch-off-what-it-means-for-you-aPSOH8k1i6Vv#when-will-my-landline-be-switched-off

They will have battery packs available for in the case of power cuts, so there is some type of back up. Ultimately they're moving to digital because it's getting harder to get replacement parts and they're failing more frequently.
I have a landline OP but don't really use it tbh, very rarely.

CKL987 · 18/02/2023 15:09

I don't have one any more. Parents are both dead so nobody else to call me on one.

bananaboats · 18/02/2023 15:17

I had a line previously when it was needed for broadband but I've never actually had a landline phone.

gogohmm · 18/02/2023 15:21

I only use mine for broadband, not got a phone plugged in. If I had young children, too young for their own mobiles I would want a landline to allow them to phone out in emergency, as young as 3 kids have saved their parents lives by knowing how to make a 999 call, far easier on a landline as the operator knows your exact location

PriamFarrl · 18/02/2023 15:25

I’ve not had one in ten years. No need really. As for an emergency, I can’t think why a landline would be different. My mobile is where I am and moreover so is my watch. I can call the emergency services from them.

wombat1a · 18/02/2023 15:52

Depends, we couldn't live without ours, the mobile signal is so poor we can't get calls in the house. There is no point anyway trying to message us as it often takes 24-48 hrs for the message to arrive - normally when we visit the local town it pops up.

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