@Ragman,
Quote:
Consider eliminating landline -
Another thing to consider is eliminating your landline. I'm disabled and had to think long and hard, but it's been 10 yrs since I had a landline. You may feel differently as some people like the idea of not having to rely on satellite tech variability to make your connection. Statistically the amount of uptime availability is pretty similar but not the same - depending on your area and carrier. I've been happiest with my carrier which is Verizon. Never been in an emergency and not had access. the storm that took out cell phone service coincidentally also took out landline. FWIW, cellphone came back within 24 hr and landline took 2 days.
Here is where we part ways. I don't believe anyone who is even relatively homebound should eliminate their landline completely. I will now explain why.
Last December there was a problem with the local tower that most of my cell calls transmit through. At first I had had clicking sounds in a number of calls then there came that dreaded moment when there was no phone service.
Without going into extreme details as it is nobody's business, I am at times incapacitated in my abilities to get outside. If I fall, I cannot always get back up on my own. I carry the cell with me at all times, additionally I have the landline with 2 units hooked up.
At the time the cell went out, I was in a physical downturn, it was additionally late in the day. My neighbors on the floor were not around. The couple in 1 unit were on vacation somewhere, the gentleman across the hall was in his upstate house, the other unit was waiting to be rented. I needed the landline to contact the cellphone provider, they were able to switch my connecting tower. Service was responded restored soon after. Without the landline I would have been in a dangerous spot. The door was locked, and I cannot reach the lock from the floor, so I couldn't even get into the hallway and shout for help, which I did manage once after taking a fall just after unlocking the door when prepearing to head outside. Unable to stand, I managed to open the door and shift outside on my rear over to the stairs.
Additionally, landlines work even when power goes out. A cellphone, while it will last a while, needs the benefit of recharging and with no power, that can't happen unless of course you have a generator,which I don't.
This was the only time AT&T failed, I have had perfect service since, and even prior to that, only a handful of dropped calls, all of which I redialed, was reconstituted, and didn't have more trouble in my continued conversation with the person with whom I'd had an interrupted call. Verizon and Sprint suck in this area. One corner a few blocks from here is a funny place. It's a Sprint and Verizon dead spot. Calls drop there all the time, my AT&T doesn't. It's comical watching people walk through, yapping away and then a few feet later staring at their phone in confusion.
Anyways, my point is, I don't believe a landline should be dropped. Better to get the lowest cost plan and have the extra spot of security.