When it became just as inexpensive to have a cell phone as a house phone, I ditched the land line completely. It turns out that some colleges and businesses are doing the same. Some schools are pulling land lines out of the dorms, essentially requiring students to have cells.
This isn't always a good idea, of course. In an emergency, cell phones can be knocked out, and let's not forget simple things like not being able to recharge your phone if the power goes out. Land lines are far more durable than cell phones.
But for the 99.99% of the time that isn't an emergency, cell phones are fine. Just don't flip out during that .01% of the time. You'll probably have bigger issues to think about, anyway.
I think the number of active cell phone accounts exceeded the number of landlines some years ago. Like maybe seven or eight.
ReplyDeleteI'm just wondering how long it'll be before the wireline system is no longer supportable. I'd bet a significant amount of income now comes from DSL and when TV-over-phoneline technology becomes a bit more mature the phone companies will flog the daylights out that.
Still, all that wire, all those poles and all those central offices have to suck up a staggering amount of money in simple maintenance and the cost of that maintenance will just go up.
Once all my kids had cell phones, there was simply no need. If my husband gets a job where he doesn't office at home, the last land line will be gone as well. There is simply no need for them.
ReplyDeleteI keep one because I need a fax machine and I want one in case another Hurricane Ike hits us in Houston.
ReplyDeleteAs for Darren, he makes some very valid points but the SOB is still so cheap he won’t pay for voice mail! :)
I won't pay *extra* for it, but I now have it.
ReplyDeleteI may call....
ReplyDeleteTrust but verified! :)