punomatic
Pacific Northwest
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Joined: 08/28/2006
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DW and I dumped the land line years ago. We use Consumer Cellular and share 800 minutes and 1000 text messages (only way to communicate with our adult children)between two phones for $65/month. No contract is required and CC uses the AT&T network, so coverage is great. I doubt that you could get your land line number, but unless it is a business, it is not that hard to get your friends used to a new number (or two). Good luck with your choice.
DW me,Pogo(the neurotic terrier)and Lulu (the Moxie with moxie!)
1988 Hawkins Motor Coach 301Q
2008 Nissan Versa Toad
I used to work for the department of redundancy department, formerly.
Travels With Sadie
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Kemahsabe
Kemah, TX
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Joined: 07/10/2006
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W4RLR wrote:As for your statement that the phones worked after Katrina, with major phone switches underwater after that storm, I can tell you from personal experience that the land lines did not always work.
When Katrina hit I was working for a major insurance carrier. Within two days after the storm hit we had set up a call center with 150 adjusters using cell phones trying to contact our insureds to see what we could do for them.
Many people gave cell numbers because they had evacuated, and they were surprised that we probably couldn't call them on that number. Since cell phones are radios people felt they wouldn't be affected by the flood, right? Wrong. When we dialed a New Orleans cell the call went to a switch that was under water. All we could do is wait until they called in with a better number.
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kennethwooster
Perryton Tx USA
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Joined: 11/21/2003
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Got rid of land line about 4 months ago. Have not missed it once. We have good service, and thus all works fine.
kenneth wooster- retired farmer. Biblical History Teacher in public HS, and substitute teacher.
wife Diana-adult probation officer, now retired.
31KSLS Full Body paint Cameo
Ford F250 2011 model, 4X4, King Ranch.
18K SuperGlide Hitch
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jwrightabq
New Mexico
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Joined: 02/14/2011
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We dumped our landline four years ago. We don't miss the bill or the solicitation calls.
John
2010 Ford F-150 SuperCrew 5.4 4x4
2011 Lance 2285
2008 Acura MDX (still own but not to tow)
2006 Fleetwood Timberlake pop-up (SOLD)
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RTompkins3
Jefferson, MD
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Joined: 02/24/2005
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Ole Man Dan wrote:W4RLR wrote:Jackthewonderdog wrote:Can't think of any emergency where the phone companies or governement would shut down any commnication service short of a popular revoltion against the govenment and then I doubt you having phone service is a pressing need. Wasn't shut during 911, or Katrina. THe only thing that shuts it is damage to the service itself and is more likely to hit cell towers then land lines. I think we are getting way off OP subject. While you may get a dial tone, you may not have service. When infrastructure is damaged after a natural disaster, service is prioritized. If there is limited capacity for circuits, residential users are at the bottom of the priority list. This would explain the inability for people in a disaster zone to call out or to receive calls from loved ones outside the disaster zone. So the answer to the question whether a land line will always be there for communications is no. As for your statement that the phones worked after Katrina, with major phone switches underwater after that storm, I can tell you from personal experience that the land lines did not always work.
Strangely enough when the phone lines were out, I was able to text an Officer in flooded MS and allow him to talk with his wife texting.
His wife and kids relocated to North Alabama for safety. The wife bought a cell phone the next day and I taught her how to text.
They are back in MS now, but I still get an occasional text from them. Nice folks.
For the record, I'm not a texter, but knew how.
I don't have a clue how texting is different from regular cellular antennas, but it worked for us during Katrina.
I now have a cell with a keyboard, just in case...
For another example - I was working in the DC area when we had the earthquake last year (I know - You people in Arizona and California were laughing about that). I was not able to use a land line, and the Cell circuits were all busy. I was able to make a voice call to my wife at home using skype and the data connection on my cell phone.
Ralph (W1KDK) and Cathy
2006 Holiday Rambler Presidential 36RLQ
HMC USN(Ret)
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tallyo
Fort Myers,Florida
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Joined: 06/12/2007
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If you have a home security system dumping the land line may not be a good idea.
Tallyo
2012 Phaeton 40 QBH
Freightliner, 6 spd Allison
2010 Chevy Equinox 2LT w/ Brake Buddy Vantage
Drinks-6, Eats-4, Sleeps-2
Semper Fi
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magicbus
LBI, NJ or Nantucket, MA
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Joined: 06/16/2002
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tallyo wrote:If you have a home security system dumping the land line may not be a good idea. ... or an elevator.
Dave
Our new RV... the adventure continues.
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sljkansas
Miami Co. Kansas
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Joined: 09/28/2005
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Just a heads up on taking you home phone number with you. We live in the country and the small town that our home phone was routed through had it's own prefix (first 3 numbers of the 7 digit phone number). The phone company (Sprint, after several by outs) would not let us take the number due to the town having a limited amount numbers available.
We want ahead and dropped the home number anyway and got a cellphone for the house. Well after 2 years we dropped the home phone and just use our cells. Never regretted it.
Steve & Linda
Son married (1 DIL, 3 granddaughters 1 grandson)
Daughter can now be called a Teacher.
Miami Co. Kansas
2004 F350 CC dually 8ft bed 6.0 PSD
2009 Bighorn 3670RL
B&W under bed hitch with 18k companion hitch
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wny_pat
Western NYS
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Joined: 08/11/2007
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Fired Verizon well over a year ago and have saved since then. I have VoIP OOMA. It is consumer rated #1 in the VoIP industry, and I am only paying $3.40 tax a month. Had to buy the black box to hook it to the broadband router. It is pre computer and is neither phone service or computer operation is affected by the others use. I had my old Verizon number ported over, and I now have two phone lines available thru the OOMA system. So I can talk to someone while my dw talks to someone else. And I can be on the computer while talking. It give me call waiting, voice mail, and caller ID along with other services that I did not have before. Also have phone logging system that is quite unbelievable. And I can take it with me when I travel!!! Just unplug it and go. Or I can leave it home hooked up and it will transfer the calls to my cell phone when I am traveling.
Yes, I had to pay for the OOMA box, but it has paid for its self in less than a year and saved me money on top of that!!! Very happy with OOMA ! And the voice sound quality is fantastic! No more "what did you say".
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jsikora
West Monroe, New York
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Joined: 10/26/2005
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I switched to a majic jack a year or so ago from vonage. Now with the lifetime plans its a pretty good backup. We like having the flexibility of a home phone, but not the cost. This works well. We also used google voice to get phone numbers for both our cells and home so our numbers are actually sequential...kinda cool...
2006 Fleetwood Wilderness 5th Wheel
2010 F-350 PSD Lariet CC 4X4
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