Get off my LAWN! "Grumpy Old Farts"

[GwenOnBass]

Guessing my last functioning landline ceased to function on my command around 2007.

 

[notJaco]

Gave ours up last year. It was just a spam call magnet!

Yeah, I don't answer my cell phone unless I recognize the number due to robocalls. Such a pain.

 

[ZonieBass]

I'm wondering, do you still have a land line?

Yes, I still do. If you lose power long enough for your cell phone to die and you have an emergency, you have no way to call for help. With a landline if you have a plain old telephone, you can plug it in and it will work. Just a thought.....

 

[ahc]

Yes, I still do. If you lose power long enough for your cell phone to die and you have an emergency, you have no way to call for help. With a landline if you have a plain old telephone, you can plug it in and it will work. Just a thought.....

The same was true for me until about a year or so ago. Ma Bell's ugly stepchild mandated a change from copper lines to fiber optic. Well, this eliminated a phone that worked during power failures, which here in Northern Virginia can and have surprisingly lasted 3 to 4 days, and forced a change to one that has only a 12 hour battery backup. To this day I only use my shoephone (very much not a smart phone) when traveling. I want my copper landline back! I do see where in a few years that it will become necessary to cave in and get a smartphone because society and technology is moving strongly in that direction. "Don't gimme no crap, just get that APP."

 

[Fat Freddy]

They are the debbil's work, pure and simple.

 

[GonePlaid]

After 44 years, I dropped my home phone land line. It kind of feels strange not to have a home phone. But I don't need it and haven't used it in the last year save for a weekly call from a family member. I suppose that land lines will disappear as GOF's die off. The cell quality seems to be just as good these days, it wasn't the case in the past.

I hate dealing with the phone company but that's another story! What prompted this was that I had a $30 per month discount on my TV service for the last 20 years. Whenever it expired, they would reinstate it. This time the answer was no because I didn't call before the end of last month. Last year when I called before the end of the month and was told that I'd needed to wait this year for it to expire. Their story changes at their convenience. So out of spite I cancelled my home phone service. It wound up costing the phone company more that their $30 discount.


I'm wondering, do you still have a land line?

Yes. In case of loss of cell service due to storms and it's my alarm system hookup. I only have local service and I don't answer it.

 

[Al Kraft]

The same was true for me until about a year or so ago. Ma Bell's ugly stepchild mandated a change from copper lines to fiber optic. Well, this eliminated a phone that worked during power failures, which here in Northern Virginia can and have surprisingly lasted 3 to 4 days, and forced a change to one that has only a 12 hour battery backup. To this day I only use my shoephone (very much not a smart phone) when traveling. I want my copper landline back! I do see where in a few years that it will become necessary to cave in and get a smartphone because society and technology is moving strongly in that direction. "Don't gimme no crap, just get that APP."

I still have copper in the house, but alas am on VOIP and have the same issue. For those who think I am unable to change with the times, it's probably worth noting that there is a resurgence in interest in HF radio (think WWII) as a back-up in situations where SATCOM is unreliable and/or vulnerable. I have first hand knowledge of this work.

When it comes to all this cool new tech, we essentially just keep building a bigger glass house without thinking about people who can easily pick up a rock and change our lives significantly.

 

[StereoPlayer]

My land line is long gone It was just another bill. Only received telemarketing calls.
When I called to stop the service the ladies said, "you've been a customer a very long time".
Not anymore...

 

[Jeff Scott]

Not a good choice for a band name. Google "John Lennon Eric Burdon eggman"

That didn't seem to stem their popularity, not their quality product.

I do see where in a few years that it will become necessary to cave in and get a smartphone because society and technology is moving strongly in that direction.

I expect hope to be long gone by then. If not, I will have to come up with a plan (if we had a plan, what would it be).

 

[ahc]

T
I expect hope to be long gone by then. If not, I will have to come up with a plan (if we had a plan, what would it be).

Tin cans and string? No spam calls that way. We'd only be connected to whomever WE wanted to talk to.

 

[notJaco]

Tin cans and string? No spam calls that way. We'd only be connected to whomever WE wanted to talk to.

That is what a CB radio is for.

If one loses their power due to a storm they could as easily lose the land line phone service with the same thunderbolt.

 

[SoulReflection]

Yes, I still do. If you lose power long enough for your cell phone to die and you have an emergency, you have no way to call for help. With a landline if you have a plain old telephone, you can plug it in and it will work. Just a thought.....

There are so may ways to recharge a cell phone...your vehicle's battery, a UPS, a cheap solar panel from Harbor Freight, automotive jump starter, etc.

 

[Charlie Tango]

I'm wondering, do you still have a land line?

Yep, still do. It's like Linus' security blanket to me. The only time I ever answer my cell phone is when I'm out of the house. It lives in the kitchen near my wallet and keys otherwise, and if I get a call or text on it I generally don't even hear it. Only a half dozen people even have the number, and they know use the landline. The cell is really just for my convenience when I'm out.

 

[ahc]

That is what a CB radio is for.

If one loses there power due to a storm they could as easily lose the land line phone service with the same thunderbolt.

I've never lost copper landline service during a power failure. CB radios are limited in range and when a battery dies so does the radio.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I've never lost copper landline service during a power failure. CB radios are limited in range and when a battery dies so does the radio.

Here are some options.

 

[GwenOnBass]

I used to answer the telephone — the original device with wires and everything — without the faintest idea who was calling. I'm lucky to still be alive!

 

[Charlie Tango]

I used to answer the telephone — the original device with wires and everything — without the faintest idea who was calling. I'm lucky to still be alive!

Plus, you could have already won!

 

[beans-on-toast]

Gave ours up last year. It was just a spam call magnet!

Very true.

 

[beans-on-toast]

Yes, I still do. If you lose power long enough for your cell phone to die and you have an emergency, you have no way to call for help. With a landline if you have a plain old telephone, you can plug it in and it will work. Just a thought.....

Here the phone plugs into a router. They abandoned copper lines a while back. If the power goes down, so does the landline.

 

[beans-on-toast]

I still have copper in the house, but alas am on VOIP and have the same issue. For those who think I am unable to change with the times, it's probably worth noting that there is a resurgence in interest in HF radio (think WWII) as a back-up in situations where SATCOM is unreliable and/or vulnerable. I have first hand knowledge of this work.

When it comes to all this cool new tech, we essentially just keep building a bigger glass house without thinking about people who can easily pick up a rock and change our lives significantly.

I hope that the HF packets are encrypted and secure.