If you still have a landline, why?

[pstokely]

cause you have it printed on your business cards for the past 40 years? a common reason why people still have their AOL accounts

[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. Having an alarm system on your home that notifies PD/FD is a decent reason

Older alarm systems, that's all they support.

Landline also has better 911 service.

[shrike3]

64. We have ADT

Given we've had burglaries in the past, having an alarm is a must. Local police are great -- we're lucky. Something goes wrong for any reason, they are right there.

[LakeArenal]

2. I belong to a telephone coop. DSL and tv need landline.

Get rebate check every year.

[kysrsoze]

3. People in the boonies still do. Our wireless service at home is abysmal.

That’s usually why people keep a landline. We live in a nice area and have gig fiber, but it’s hilly so service is extremely spotty throughout town. This the the case all over southern California, and anywhere it’s not flat. Plus it costs next to nothing these days.

I think wireless in less populated areas has gotten better, but it’s still sparse in some places.

[tblue37]

4. I'm hearing impaired, and I hear better over a landline.

[PatSeg]

58. Same here

Also I can't talk for a long time on a cell phone as it really bothers my ear.

The signal where we live isn't great, so it is good to have the landline. Also it is the number I give to people who aren't close friends and family.

[area51]

74. I'm also hearing impaired and can hear better over a landline.

Also, I live near the Gulf Coast, and if a hurricane comes in and there's a power outage, the landline will still work.

[Greybnk48]

5. Someone posted on here not long ago that they had lost their cell phone

and were thankful for their landline so they could make the necessary calls regarding the loss.

We use our landline for running the house-hold, orders online, etc. Our cells are for friends and doctor apts, dentist, haircuts and the like. Most spam and garbage calls go to the landline.

Also, we've had that number since the late 70's, it's listed, and old friends know how to contact us.

[Nay]

33. That's us. We keep our cells for family and close friends -- landline gets the spam.

We also are not the folks who carry our cell phones around with us in the house, so the kids know to call us on the landline so we can just pick up the extension. They've tried to get us to carry the phone at all times, but . . . we don't.

[Greybnk48]

75. I don't keep my phone in my pocket either, but we have handsets for the landline

all over the house, just like you! I can hear better on the landline too. Someone else mentioned that.

[Nay]

89. I agree that it is easier to hear on a landline; I don't even have hearing loss and have

no trouble hearing on the landline, but find the cell is often iffy. There's quite a bit of difference in the two.

[StarryNite]

67. We're the opposite...

Family and close friends usually call our landline. Cell is for texting and calling people we don't want to give our landline number to. I have used our landline to locate where I laid my cell phone. It's hard to misplace something that's hardwired to the wall. LOL We also have DSL which we need the landline for.

[Emile]

6. We did away with ours around 10 years ago.

Nobody called that number anyways. Everytime it rained we would have horrible static for days.

[bucolic_frolic]

7. My landline has so much buzz that V can't fix

and yes cell coverage varies.

[ripcord]

8. Why exactly does this bother you?

[pstokely]

11. doesn't bother me, just wondering?

even geezers are dropping their landlines

[Coventina]

48. It clearly does bother you, your comments are pretty clear.

[Disaffected]

50. ...

[Conjuay]

71. say that to

this “geezer,” and you might have a landline bonked across your head.

Would YOU like to be called names?

[Scottie Mom]

80. Thank you. This elderly person was also offended. EOM

[AngryOldDem]

88. It was the way you asked it.

And you doubled-down with “geezer”. Stop with the ageism, implied or otherwise.

[JenniferJuniper]

9. I live in a bigger house,

and don't necessarily always have my mobile attached to my hip. So I keep the landline phones around in the event of an emergency so I don't have to go looking for my cell phone.

I had a house fire about 20 years ago that started on the outside of the house. Phone lines were burned before I could get to a phone and in a panic I couldn't find my little tiny cell phone. Had to run to the neighbors who were fortunately home. Since then I like the idea of a back up either way.

[bearsfootball516]

10. My sister has one, because she and her husband live in a heavily wooded area.

Cell service is really spotty, so a landline is the only way they can make sure they have a connection if they need to call someone.

[zanana1]

12. Cell phone coverage can be "spotty".

When I call from my landline to another landline, the reception is clear. There can be gaps in cellphone transmissions.

[markodochartaigh]

13. Poor cell signal

I live in a semi-rural area about eight miles outside a prosperous South Florida beach town. The cellphone coverage here is very poor. Letters have been written to the FCC with the only result being that one carrier literally told the FCC that the complainant could keep their plan knowing that coverage would not improve or they could drop their plan. Also, for many work from home jobs a landline is required, especially if you don't have broadband internet (fiber, not dsl "broadband" ). I should have had a landline installed when I moved in. I may get it soon.

[fightforfreedom]

14. I have a landline because I do not want a smart phone.

I have never owned a smart phone. I have a Mac computer at home and that's all I need.

[hauckeye]

15. We have one, mostly for my husband

He doesn’t have a cell phone and doesn’t want one. When he has to use mine he has lots of trouble with the small screen.

[Xoan]

16. My wife doesnt trust cell phones.

[DURHAM D]

17. I have a landline because I want one.

Why are you pissed about it?

[yorkster]

18. Because I like the audio quality and

I like having both.

If I want to I can use both, like when I need to use my cell to verify something when I'm on hold on the landline.

Cell to cell audio can also be less than optimal.

[Rebl2]

24. Same here

Audio quality is much better, unless someone calling is on a cell phone and THEIR phone cuts out or drops me during conversation. I hate that especially if they are driving, which I don’t approve of. I have a cell phone for emergency use if I am out somewhere (and it’s happened) or need to verify something when I am at certain web sites like social security.

[MLAA]

19. I have one because it is part of internet and cable package.

I no longer plug a phone into it.

[GoCubsGo]

37. Mine's part of my Internet package, as well.

It doesn't cost me less to drop it, and I've had the number for 25+ years. Why drop it? I only have my cellphone for emergencies, and I don't hand that number out to many people. Anyone else who wants to get a hold of me can call my "landline."

[dembotoz]

20. so i have a customer..home office....1 number with 7 extentions

bigger house, phone in most every room. They feel they need that....
To rip and replace for voip would be omg expensive.

Can't misplace your phone when you got 7 of them....

[ananda]

21. No, and I never get polled.

I do have a backup paygo phone, though.

[Sympthsical]

30. I get polls in texts

It's fascinating they think I will respond favorably to that.

[Freddie]

22. Crappy cell service in my house

Learned that the hard way, was on hold with an airline for an hour, finally got a human and - dropped call 🤬. That’s why I still have the landline.

[Torchlight]

23. Backup, comfort and decoration.

We have a rotary dial on display in the living room. I prefer talking on it when I can over my cell just for the comfort alone (so easy to crook the phone in my neck, impossible for me with a cell). Sound quality is measurably no better nor worse to me than my cell, and coverage here goes out pretty consistently when weather begins acting wonky.

[Chainfire]

25. Still have home phone service, but haven't had a phone on it in years.

My only connection to the outside world is a DSL that is about as fast as sending data using a abacus.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

26. I like my land line

My house has a radiant barrier and sometimes I get weak reception unless I am near a window. I also like getting the occasional calls from pollsters

[Elessar Zappa]

35. I've received two poll surveys on my cell phone this election season.

So they don’t just call landlines.

[Backseat Driver]

27. LOL for AOL - our digital landline service

has been a part of our provider's bundled pricing robbery scheme for decades when smart TVs didn't exist, but paying for all those separate streaming subscriptions free trials until...we automatically charge you, give me a headache. Some even have commercials again. Someday we'll bust up the happy trio - cable, internet wifi, digital phone, eliminating two of them, maybe all three--just not today! The ringer has been off for several years and scammers seldom ever leave a message. Ahhhh...peace and quiet.

[HAB911]

28. having a metal roof and bad cell service initially

now that we have simultaneous ring on my cell, my number has not changed since 1981, and no one has my cell number.

[ForgedCrank]

29. Multiple

reasons.
It's more reliable and I use it for a failover for when my cell phone has an issue as well. I can also use it to Fax stuff the old fashion way. I dont like online services having access to my personal documents.
Besides, if it wasnt there, who would the scammers call 13 times a day?

[Cognitive_Resonance]

31. Safety. In general wireless (radio) delivery is still inherently less reliable than

terrestrial-based technology. If anyone in the household ever needs to call for help I want two independent services available with one based on terrestrial technology. Non-negotiable.
(edit): There's also the call quality issue. Cell is convenient when moving around, but connection and call quality issues are the price that's payed.

[GoCubsGo]

32. Because I feel like it.

[NowISeetheLight]

34. Part of the package

I have a number with the cable and internet package. I’ve never actually had a phone plugged in though. The package was cheaper with it so I took it.

[Autumn]

36. Because my cell service often sucks.

[kimbutgar]

38. I had an AT&Y landline for 30 years they switched over to wireless and the phone rarely worked

I ended up porting my line to another carrier. After a upfront cost to get the service of $70 I pay $10 a month instead of $40. I was paying AT&T and their customer services sucked and couldn’t get help so they lost my business. I still have my internet with them though.

But my older family members and old friends know my landline number. And I like talking on my landline phone instead of my small cell phone.

[Midnight Writer]

39. I like to walk away from my phone. I don't like to carry one with me.

I own a pay-as-you-go cell phone, but it stays in a drawer unless I'm traveling.

I hate answering the phone. Any phone. It pisses me off that anyone, anywhere, for any reason, can punch a button and I am expected to respond by answering. I especially hate carrying the damn phone around with me so my life can be interrupted even more frequently.

I shut off the ringer on my landline, check the caller ID a couple times a day to see if I missed anything worthwhile, which is rare.

I am baffled by the need for people to "stay accessible" 24/7. I am irritated when I am trying to communicate with someone and they are holding a smartphone and scanning it constantly and not hearing a word I am saying. I met up with an old friend a while back I hadn't seen in years. We met in a restaurant and he pulls out his phone and sets it on the table in front of him and repeatedly interrupts our conversation to respond to beeps and squeaks on his phone.

You see, not only am I a geezer, I am a curmudgeon as well. Now if I can just figure out how to stop people from showing up at my home and knocking on the door while I am taking a shit, I would be in heaven.

[CTyankee]

40. I just don't wanna be one of those people glued to their phones while the world goes on around them.

Maybe it's the new reality. I dunno, I don't care. I'm old.

[shrike3]

65. Yep. I just bought a cell phone and it sits in my purse.

But at least we have it for emergencies.

[llmart]

72. +1

My landline is bundled with my internet, so it only costs me $12 a month. Why on earth would I want to pay hundreds a month to talk on the phone? I can hear better on the landline phone. Like you, I have no desire to be addicted to a phone screen. Yeah, I'm old too and I don't care, just like you. I have a cheap Tracfone to carry with me for emergencies. I only turn it on when I need to use it, which is rarely.

I think cellphones are a wonderful invention, and I can understand that for some people, like my contractor who works out of his truck most times, they are a real boon to his business. They're just not for me.

[RobinA]

41. Non Existent Cell Service

at the house. Big house I'm not going to populate with cell phones, 93 year old mother who can't use a cell phone, reliability is better (although not as reliable as before they forced us to get fiber optic).

[FakeNoose]

42. I only use my cellphone for emergencies

Half the time, I forget to charge it up, so the cellphone isn't even reliable - for me.

My Verizon deal includes cable TV, internet and landline all in the same package. If I deleted the landline I'd still be paying the same amount, so the landline is basically free. It's reliable, handy, and always charged up. (Unlike my cellphone.)

But the main reason is: I do all my internetting on my desktop computer, not on my cellphone. I use a standard computer keyboard because screen "typing" absolutely sucks.

[Genki Hikari]

43. I don't have a landline anymore

But I understand why other people do.

If the power goes out, landlines will still work in most cases, provided you have an old school phone hooked up (ye olde Ma Bell Trimline or the like). I've thought about rebooting a landline for this reason alone. Anytime my mother hears about bad weather where I am, she calls me. If I didn't answer, she would F-R-E-A-K. If I had a landline, I'd save myself a great deal of grief when she could get through to me.

Rural people tend to have bad or zero cell phone coverage, so landlines are necessary for them.

My elderly mother lives in a well-populated area, but her house is somehow in a cell phone dead zone. If she didn't have a landline, she would be in serious trouble if she had an emergency at home. At her age (80s), it's a major concern.

Some people have older alarm systems that require a landline to function properly.

Some disabled people need it for their TTY system.

It's cheaper than cell phone service, especially for the elderly and disabled.

Quite honestly, the service tends to be more reliable than cell phone, and the sound quality tends to be better. Not always. But usually.

No need to worry about upgrading your phone. A lot of people with cell phones are now SOL with the eradication of older access protocols. The phone company doesn't do rotary lines anymore, but guess what? Most of the providers installed rotary switches at residence level, so that people with rotary phones can still make and receive calls. It's 100+ year technology, and it still works. Try doing that with a 25 year old cell phone.

[blueinredohio]

44. I still have one so I don't have to bother other people with

my business when I'm in public. I also never give my email address unless absolutely necessary.

[Iggo]

45. Earthquakes. (n/t)

[moonscape]

46. Sound quality and reliability when

power is out. Also, earthquake country. Also I can’t lose it!

[Groundhawg]

47. Because I want to

[Kaleva]

49. The landline will work when power goes out and the battery in the cellphone has died.

[MissMillie]

51. Long story, short: we live in a reception hole

And our cell phones work off of the wi-fi. So our cell phones don't work when there is a power outage.

[W_HAMILTON]

52. Answering on behalf of my elderly mother:

- She's had that phone number for probably longer than you've been alive and it's what everyone knows to call her on.
- With our current bundle, it's relatively cheap (~$9/mo).
- She has dementia and cannot understand most of the complicated cell phones today.
- She is pretty much housebound, which means the benefits of a "mobile" phone are useless to her.

Can you get a cell phone with unlimited calling for ~$9/mo? I'm guessing not. Maybe she's the smart one.

[wishstar]

56. Same situation here with 80 year old spouse plus we have 5 phones in house and basement hooked up

My spouse refuses to use smart phone or computer technology but I also like not having to carry smart phone everywhere and having to make sure its charged up all the time and operational.

At a very cheap rate for over 30 years we have had the same 3 corded phones- kitchen, basement and hallway at bathroom door plus cordless landline phones for bedroom and living room with answering machine on one and caller ID on other, so for us this long time setup is extremely convenient and everyone knows our landline number. Cheaper and more reliable than getting spouse a smart phone.

[MurrayDelph]

53. For the same reasons I have satellite TV.

I don't want to be dependent on a single point of failure.

If the satellite goes out, I switch to Roku. If the internet goes out too, I use the cell to Chromecast to the TV. If cell service goes out, I'll pull out some DVD/Blu-ray disks. If the electricity goes out, I'll fire up the emergency generator.

[Polybius]

54. It feels good in my hand and when held to my ear

Something about holding a cell phone to the ear that's not comfy.

[HAB911]

55. I forgot, cell voice quality sucks

[marybourg]

57. Still have a landline, for all of the reasons

articulated above, but no longer have business cards.

[krawhitham]

59. because it only cost me $2.50/month, and I like having 911 support

The one time I called 911 on a cell phone I was told basically to pound sand

[Native]

60. First off, a true landline is not the same as internet phone service.

Are you asking about true landlines, the kind that still work even when the power is out, or are you including internet phone service (via cable/modem) in that mix?

As for a true landline, we were required by law to have one in our elevator. If your elevator ever gets stuck, you have to be able to call for help when the power is out. Living on the water in a stilt home also meant quite a few power outages and cable service interruptions (lines were above ground more often than not).

[keep_left]

61. Voice-over-IP phone here, going out over a physical line. Like others who responded, we're...

...in a partial dead zone where it comes to cell phones. I need to get the VoIP phone on a UPS supply soon, however. Unlike an old-fashioned phone line, it goes dead when the power goes out (which isn't too surprising, since you're essentially connecting your landline to a computer).

[musicblind]

62. We have no cellphone signal where I live.

Not everyone lives in or near a city.

[shrike3]

63. Because I want to? Because it's not a big deal?

I got a Samsung to text. Everybody in the world texts. Of course, in the month since I got it, there've only been sales texts, LOL.

I figure the Samsung's for emergencies or for anybody who must text me. Anybody else can reach us on the landline.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

66. In our town, there was an infamous 911 call

Family crisis with shooting. They called 911 with their cell phones. The cops and EMTs went to the cell tower. Theoretically it's been fixed, but we don't trust the county.

[Vinca]

68. I hate my cell phone. I'm kind of technically challenged. LOL.

[Maeve]

69. Business card for 20 years, yeah..but

My 91 year old mom calls it, as does my son when he wants either Hubby or me (he'll call the cell nu.bers if he wants one of us specifically). And we use it for a few other things.
It so means I don't get as much spam on my cell since few strangers have that number.

[ellie]

70. Yes

For work. Sometimes I have to speak on webinars through the telephone connection and my cell phone is not reliable in my apartment.

[llmart]

73. From the way you posed your question...

it seemed a bit judgmental of people who still have landlines. I just read all the responses and I'm hoping you did too because there are dozens of very good, legitimate reasons for having a landline. Maybe you will see that just because someone has a landline doesn't mean they're not tech savvy or that only old people have landlines.

My son is a software engineer with NASA and he still has his landline. He lives in hurricane country in Florida. He's already experienced that having a landline comes in handy.

[VGNonly]

77. My landline conked out.

Not to fear, my backup telegraph is still kicking!

[Midwestern Democrat]

78. I prefer the clarity of sound of a landline; I like the ease of it - I don't have to turn it on or

recharge it or go through a bunch of screens to listen to messages; and I like being listed in the phone book.

[Baltimike]

79. Because I have had it for over 26 years and that's how family calls.

Also, it keeps my cell phone more personal, so I can keep spam calls down.

[Raftergirl]

81. I've had internet phone service for at least 10 years and I wanted it because I could keep

my land line phone number. That was what was important to me. It’s the number everyone has who has asked me for my # for the last 31 years. My friends and family also call me at the number. I have phones in practically every room so my iPhone stays in my purse and I’m not constantly searching the house for where I left it.

We have a whole house generator so if I lose power my “landline” still works - unless cable goes out, too.

I don’t do much of anything on my cell phone unless I’m out of the house, I have an iPad and use that for most everything.

[Niagara]

82. Just in case you're not aware, the way you asked was 100% insolent.

We still have our landline for the following reasons:

1. Sound quality is way better

2. No dropped calls. Seriously we live in a Buffalo suburb, not in the countryside, there should be no reason for dropped calls.

3. Our residential security system.

3. We have the original Ooma (before it was regulated) which means we have a zero monthly phone bill.

[Meowmee]

83. Terrible cell phone service

We could never rely on it. The ll is attached to internet though and it can also have some issues but less. So you need both. Years ago, long before cell phones, I remember once picking up the phone to make a call and I was in the middle of two other people’s phone conversation I kept trying to tell them that they had to hang up, but they didn’t seem to be able to hear me. Lol.

[edhopper]

84. It's part of my cable/internet package

The phone itself is easier to hold for long calls. It never drops calls. It works if cell service is down. It's battery never runs down. I have three handsets, so I don't have to run through the house if we get a call. The call screening is better than on a cell phone...
Anything else?

[ProfessorGAC]

85. Yes, We Have One

Biggest reason is that it costs nothing.
Our internet provider provides a VOIP service that costs nothing extra.
The bill actually has a line for the service and every month it shows $0.00.
We don't even pay a fee for the little box that connects to the wiring and converts to digital.
So in our case, it's not why. It's why not?

[Earth-shine]

86. My mother cannot operate a smartphone. She can barely use the landline.

She's 80, with ample senility, blindness, deafness, and is now recovering from a diabetic stroke.

The dial tone helps her. The TALK button on the phone is big.

[AngryOldDem]

87. One reason.

I don’t feel like engaging with my cable/internet provider to unbundle it from my package. I don’t trust them to not fuck things up and disconnect me from everything. I’m not home during the day, and occasionally I’ll get spam calls at night that I ignore. It’s not a huge deal in the larger scheme of my life right now.

And I’m still one of two people who still have an AOL account — again, because I have better things to do than get set up with a new ISP and change e-mail addresses on a million things. It still suits my purposes just fine, so I don’t know why it’s anybody else’s worry about what I’m using.

[Ursus Rex]

90. I WANT to have one but AT&T now charges over $110/month for a true landline.

The old style telephone lines are still regulated as a utility, with all the maintenance of physical lines etc, while the IP/internet phone service is NOT, so I suspect AT$T keeps raising the price to drive customers to the less-regulated, far more profitable IP service (it went from $45 to $110 in just 5 years here in North ATL). I have ZERO interest in internet phones, etc, since they depend on grid power to work.