Weigh the Costs before Ditching Your Landline Phone

“Hi. I’m your landline phone. Remember me? I haven’t heard from you in awhile, and I’m getting lonely. Please call.”

Does this sound like your landline phone? If so, are you thinking about kicking it to the curb? Breakups are hard, and breaking up with your landline could mean more breaking up (of a different kind) on your cell phone. However, that’s exactly what 20.2 percent of U.S. households have done, according to a 2008 statistic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Landline phones that travel through a solid medium of metal wire or optical fiber have been a household institution for decades, but they are slowly becoming obsolete. If you’re not quite ready to say goodbye to your old friend, there may be enough reasons to justify keeping him around-for now.

Voice Quality and Signal Coverage

If your landline phone is Old Mr. Reliable, then your cell phone may be Finicky Fern. Since cell phones were initially intended for on-the-go conversations, they tend to get spotty signals inside homes. On the flip side, your landline provides more consistent voice quality, but it only works well in your home (or very close by if you have a high-powered wireless model). Watch for cell phone companies to start rolling out cellular signal extenders and roof-top mini towers to help improve in-home signals.

Economics

Money motivates most people to cancel their landline phones. Mobile cellular phone service doesn’t come cheap, and as dust collects on fixed-line phones you may start wondering why you pay for both. After all, many cell phones companies offer attractive family plans that include all the bells and whistles like caller ID, voice mail and free long distance, outshining nickel-and-dime plans from most Baby Bells.

Before you cut your cord, check to see if any of your household services require an active landline. For example, satellite TV receivers and household security systems may use your landline phone to transfer information to in-home devices.

Safety

Landlines may also provide safety benefits that you won’t get in a cell-phone-only (CPO) home. The entire 911 system was designed around landline phone technology. However, when calling from a cell phone, 911 centers rely on GPS technology to identify your location within a 300 meters radius. This method takes longer (critical minutes in an emergency) and it won’t help emergency responders find you in a high-rise apartment or office building. Since the Federal Communications Commission estimates a third of 911 calls are from cell phones, new adaptations will likely be a high priority for many communities.

Another potential safety issue for CPO homes is the need to make an emergency call when your cell phone battery is dead. Strategically placing chargers at home, the office and in your car should prevent this. If you still need backup power for your cell phone, buy a second battery or purchase a mobile charging device.

Accessibility

Fortunately or unfortunately, cell phones give others ultimate accessibility to you. They can reach you almost anywhere you go; home or away. But, becoming a CPO household could require quite a paradigm shift. If you’re taking a shower or changing a dirty diaper, who’s going to answer that important returned call? Will you leave your phone with a spouse or child? If you have a large house, will you keep your cell phone by your side at all times or will you miss having landline extensions in every room?

For families relying primarily on a landline, think about the implications for your children. Although they’d love to have their own cell phone and phone number, how can you make sure their friends’ parents have your number, too? You never know when parents will need to collaborate on a behavioral issue or plan a surprise birthday party.

Everyone has different lifestyles and needs, so there is no right or wrong answer to keeping a landline or going CPO. Weigh all the pros and cons before making your decision. If you decide to keep you landline for now, watch for emerging technologies that may eventually change your mind later.
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