Landline blues

[sylvar]

Right now I'm spending about $30 for voice and dialup together, plus maybe $10/mo for phone cards (although that may go down).

I'd be tempted to switch to a cell phone ($40/mo or less, if I glom on to Jodi's AT&T plan) and dump the landline except that I use the latter for dialup.

Verizon DSL requires landline voice service and some sort of package deal, which means it'd cost about $60 for DSL+voice and let's say $40 for cell. Not a bargain.

Cable modem probably costs about $50 without cable (or $60 with ultra-basic, I'd guess); still not much of a bargain.

So it looks like even if I don't use the landline for anything but dialup, it's still the cheapest option. Unless you count burning airtime for 9600bps cell phone data, which I don't. So if I want a cell phone, I'm not saving any money by getting it. (Jodi's doing all right because she gets wireless-to-T1 at her apartment.)

Damn it, why won't someone next door get a WAN that I could steal?

Ah well. Maybe someday we'll have one home and two jobs instead of the other way around.

Comments

[ximinez]

I don't think I'd ever completely get rid of my landline for a couple of reasons:

911. If I'm ever in a situation where I have to call 911, I want them to know where I am. Now. Cell phones just aren't at the stage yet where they can pinpoint you that quickly and that accurately.

If I leave my cell phone in the kitchen and someone calls while I'm in the bedroom (or vice versa), not only am I not going to get to it before the voicemail picks up, I'm probably not going to hear it in the first place. With a landline, I can put a phone handset in almost every room.

If you're determined to get rid of the landline, though, you may want to see if there are any wireless ISPs in your area. No need for them to need a phone line. Another possibility is a satellite ISP. I don't know how much that costs these days, but it probably wouldn't need a phone line either. Another possibility is to get some cheap DSL and get the phone company to remove your voice service. It may not be easy, but I bet it could be done.

http://www.dslreports.com/ probably has some kind of info on all of these options.

If you decide to keep the landline, there may also be ways to get cheap cellular. Though the problem would be getting cheap or included long distance. Consider a pre-paid phone. Or just make a list of your needs, and see if the local cell phone salesperson comes up with something creative or laughs in your face.

Good luck. ;)