to want to keep a landline

[lazysummer]

DH says there is non need to keep a landline. I think there must be a good reason- I just can't think of one. AIBU to insist on keeping the landline?

no need, not non need

I've got mine, it worked through the recent storms when there were power outages and no mobile phone network. Thats why I've got it really, in case of power cuts

its a big expense though, I often wonder if it is worth it

Thank you- one good reason!

Haven’t had one in decades or missed it. When we did it was incoming calls only.

I keep mine because my mother uses it and can't be persuaded to use a mobile or my mobile.

I keep mine because they work in emergencies. No calling plan, it's there in case I need it. They're being replaced (UK) by an online system, which I think is really bloody stupid. I'm signing every petition I can find.

My internet goes down in heavy rain. The phone line doesn't. My aged parents have no internet service because they became unable to use their computers and mobile phones after having strokes. There are still rural locations with no online connections. If there will ever be a time to cut off the wired telephone service, it isn't yet.

I think the emergency point is a good one. Plus my elderly dad likes to use it.

Ours has gone, it's digital only where we live. And there's no mobile signal so if the power goes down you can't report it as the Internet and landlines go off 🤔

I still have my landline purely because my broadband contract is cheaper if I have the landline as well.

Yes, the main reason I was reluctant was for phone calls with my mother. Video calls through her mobile phone during the lockdowns became her preferred way of communicating so that reason disappeared. Other reasons I worried about were the power cuts or if the mobile network was down. But I’m a year with no landline and all has been ok so far. I do charge up some power banks & my laptop if there’s a storm coming, just in case.

I keep ours - buried under stuff - in the hall just so my mother thinks we still use it, so she can leave her barrages of hateful messages on there and doesn't feel the need to go looking for other contact details. Must be a decade since either of us has lifted the handset.

Thanks for all the replies.

You can get landline packages with your broadband where you only pay for calls made. The calls are then expensive but if you only want it for emergencies then it can save you quite a bit.

Keep signing those petitions! I had a week's notice saying mine would be replaced by digital voice! Nightmare. If my broadband's down, it doesn't work, and if someone rings while I'm on the phone it seems to mess it up, and I have to reset it. I then have people trying to get through to me without me realising, and they tell me it just rings out when this happens, and it doesn't go through to voicemail so can't leave a message. I live with a dodgy mobile signal so wanted to keep a landline to ensure a reliable connection. Now I have two dodgy connections . It really worries me that you can't dial 999 if your broadband is down ...

OP - All for keeping your landline! :)

I still have mine. The mobile phone signal in our house is terrible, so I will be keeping it for emergencies.

Landlines as we know them are all going to be scrapped by the end of next year, anyway.

Everybody will be moved to a broadband line and VoIP - even households that have no interest in the actual full broadband function and will never use it.

They tell us that it will present the same as your current landline, only with different internal workings and connections - only, as it's connected to broadband, I presume it will stop working if the power goes down. This is particularly concerning for a lot of vulnerable elderly people who may not have mobile phones as a backup.

I still have mine, mainly in case i need to make a long call and my mobiles low battery wise or the signals crap. Also, i only give my mobile number for personal calls, everything else is landline number, then i know roughly whos ringing.

Yes, it will stop working if power goes down. As you say, really worrying ...

We've kept our landline because our internet isn't particularly reliable and we have very poor mobile reception in our part of the road, despite living in south London. My Josh's d has occasional sleep seizures and I need to be able to call for an ambulance if he has a particularly bad one. I also want to always be able to call for help if we have a break in etc.

I kept mine because old fashioned landlines worked without power. These are being taken away now so no point. Just keep an emergency phone charger instead.

If your mobile is on silent overnight but someone needs you in an emergency

For the last 10 years I’ve called it the Aunty-phone. As only DH’s Aunty and my Aunty called us on it. Now DH’s Aunty has dementia and my Aunty calls people on WhatsApp it has zero use. Other than the school called me on it once.

I suppose useful to call 999 if your mobile battery low.

Also what!!! I keep mine and use it for work, absolutely cannot be having landlines scrapped 😭

I still have mine.
Live rurally with shockingly bad phone signal. And frequent power cuts.

They will be phasing it out for voip soon anyway. Our signal is terrible and often none at all via mobile so we still have landline. If power goes we will be completely unable to make calls. The mobile system needs full coverage where you are before you remove landline. I'd cancel ours but it's simply not possible. Unless mobiles don't work there's no reason to keep landline once voip is the only way...till then I keep my landline.