Hi! I am new to this forum but have learned a lot so far by browsing. I would like to hear people's thoughts/experiences about replacing land line services with a cell phone plan. My analysis is:
Bennies - save money as long as I am responsible about tracking minutes and have a feasible plan. Phone always with me (useful since I happen to be housesitting soon!) Caller ID always. Checking voicemail is easier than calling home and checking answering machine. One bill. Can turn off ringer and see missed calls without even checking messages (like a pager for friends instead of work) Availability of free long distance anywhere I go (on the PCS network - which so far has had service everywhere I have travelled)
Risks - No land line for internet (have to use at library or academic affiliate where I work many many hours) Cellular service unreliable (but works in my home, of course) Have to get a nice headset b/c phone gets hot and is not as comfie as large home handset. If it doesn't work out, stuck with a Sprint contract and lowest plan I can switch to is 19.99 (versus cool $10 emergency plan I was on before) If get cable modem, after promo period will cost at least $40 per month, adding about $10 a month to what I pay now for all services instead of saving anything (but then I have cable......)
Let me know what your experiences have been, especially if you are land-free!
hi afeller..how old are you? haha. naw, but if you've ever filled out a credit application or applied for a loan or something, they'll need a home number right? and for those numbers, i'm sorry but they most likely won't accept a cellular phone. it's good to have a landline number for that fact. if you won't be needing a loan or credit stuffs, then fine....why spend the extra cash to have a phone you don't need to have. if you do already have a landline phone, keep it. do you have call forwarding on it?
Was that the $39.99 or the $49.99 calling plan?
This ain't no swamp meet. I don't care if the people down the street are giving away free sh**.
Thanks for the reply. I didn't think about that - cc's often hold up an application if they can't verify your address, etc. Not too big a deal for me...
Your suggestions are helping me re-think this. Anyone else?
I have given up on landlines. Too much hassel when you move, having to change your number and let people know, and that sort of thing. I mean hey, I have a cell phone, it works most places, why would I want to spend another $50 a month to complicate my life?
As far as internet access goes.. cable is fine until they come out with broadband wireless.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but according to your post you will not save any money by going totally mobile. I suggest you look at your needs and habits more closely, since without outright savings then the criteria you're going to need to look at is convienence and utilization I guess.
For the issue about Internet, look at what activities you do online. Do you play games much? Download large files? (Pfft... With today's patches, you'd think software companies are in cahoots with high-speed providers) Or do you just dabble in piddley stuff like browsing and email? If it's the piddley stuff, then the library or school is sufficient enough I guess. Besides, the exercise to get there is good for you.
Next issue I guess is the landline itself. Being a landline it's stuck in your place of residence. Question is, how much time do you spend in that place of residence? If you're constantly out and about, using the home only for sleep then a total mobile idea seems like a good idea.
One user mentioned using Call Forwarding. Yeah, it's useful but only if you find yourself spending somewhat equal amounts home and roaming or a bit more on the home side of the scale. No real use for paying for a landline and the Call Forwarding feature if it'll just keep sending calls to your mobile.
Then there is verification for things you apply for, such as credit cards. Sure, it might delay an application but doubtful that it will deny it. There are other ways to verify information and if you're a post-secondary student, then you probably tend to hop around from place to place as lease terms expire. If that's your situation, I would think the company rather have your mobile number rather than needing to update your new landline as you hop around.
Take a look at your talk habits. Do you spend a lot of time chatting it up with friends at night or on the weekends? With a landline you can talk them up for hours and still pay one fee. Then again, there might be plans in your area for unlimited nights/weekends and it'd be the same effect. So then you'd have to look at daytime usage, since mobile doesn't have an unlimited usage option for those.
As for convienence... Mobile phones usually have a hands-free accessory, so on the weekend if you're out working outside you can clip the phone to your pants and wash the car or whatever and still chat. Or hey, take a walk to the store and not worry about going out of range with a cordless.
So yeah, if you go without Internet at home and trek to the library/school then you have savings and convienence on your side. If you decide to go with cable and lose the savings factor, then it's just convienence and that depends on how mobile you tend to be.
For the last two posts, Thank You!! I appreciate the thought and honest replies. I will save $20-30 per month by going cellular and sticking to email at the library or school/hospital. I work 80-90 hours per week most months so I think I've made the right decision. I'll always know who has called without having to listen to garbled answering machine messages or remember to erase them or remember funky remote codes. And, if I get cable, it will only cost $10-20 more per month, but I will be gaining better services in both my phone services and internet.... I am quite enamored with Aimster and my CD-RW so cable might be worth it, even for the little time I am home or for just the intro 9.99 months renting a modem. I just don't buy CD's or tapes so considering that as cheaper than cable isn't an issue - I won't do it.
Is Aimster an MP3 sharing program? If so, how does it compare to Napster?
I have been using AudioGalaxy.com and so far it's been pretty good. It's a browser based search that uses a small program to handle the file transfers and share your files.
The best comb is a Fido Monthly plan with at least callerid and a landline. If you receive a call and your at home or you are too busy to the call at the moment then forward the call to your landline. If you are home then you can answer it, else the answering machine will.
As for Internet access, you can use your landline if you cannot afford broadband.
Originally posted by MAX_LT Is Aimster an MP3 sharing program? If so, how does it compare to Napster?
I have been using AudioGalaxy.com and so far it's been pretty good. It's a browser based search that uses a small program to handle the file transfers and share your files.
Yes, I believe Aimster is an MP3 trading program. Many new alternatives have sprung up due to the demise of Napster. The problem with many of the new alternatives such as AudioGalaxy Satellite, Morpheus, KaZaa, BearShare, etc. is that they also install software known as spyware. As you canoe the Internet and whatnot, it tracks where you go and what you download.
A couple spy-free MP3 traders I suggest are either Gnucleus and LimeWire. Both work on the Gnutella network. I prefer Gnucleus, because LimeWire is written in Java or something and is really slow. For the websites of the mentioned programs, just .com them and it should take you there.
Yeah that's right. AudioGalaxy Satelite does have a background program called WebHancer that watches what you do and sends the info to a database or something. I blocked it with the firewall I have. This seems to work but the computer that it's on is acting wierd now. e.g. chugging away for no apparent reason and just being generally slow.
Thanks for the reply. I never heard of a Fido monthly plan before, what's that?
As for internet over the land line - I have free MSN until Dec. then I would just use my work's server (which is HUGELY unreliable). Cable is more attractive then... Otherwise, I'll be paying I guess $10 a month or more for some of these other services.
I didn't quite understand what you were saying about forwarding to the land line. I don't like calling my answering machine and checking messages. It is often hard to hear the message, though I have a good Uniden DSS phone with answering machine. Also, since I work so much, I won't be able to see the Caller ID until I get home - and that is an additional cost - either buy the Caller ID unit and add that onto my monthly phone charge or get a new phone with Caller ID and add it onto my monthly phone plan.....
Originally posted by afeller Thanks for the reply. I never heard of a Fido monthly plan before, what's that?
Fido is a Canadian provider that operates on the GSM network. Up here, they're known to be the cheapest offering 200 minutes a month for only $20.
Originally posted by afeller
I didn't quite understand what you were saying about forwarding to the land line.
Probably meant to use the Call Forward feature that can be included under your mobile plan. You punch in a special code and then enter the phone number you wish calls to your mobile to be relayed to.
So, let's say you had both a mobile and landline. If you were at home, obviously you'd probably like to save airtime so you would setup calls to the mobile to go to your landline. Even though they call your mobile number, it's relayed to your home line. Just don't forget to turn it off when you go out, otherwise you'll be wondering why nobody calls you.
Jace has a Nokia 5190, and he has it programmed so that if there is an incoming call, he can just push one of the keys on his key-pad(1 I think) and it redirects the call to the number he has pre-programmed into his phone. This is the best because you will never forget to turn it off, and if you do nothing it will go through to messaging.
This is in addition to the other forms of forwarding like standard where it doesn't ring on the cell phone, and "no answer transfer" where if you don't answer the call, and don't have messaging it then will redirect the call after four rings or so.
Pretty easy to solve that though. Everyone should have a headset and use it for any calls that are goig to be more than a couple of minutes.
And if you have the money, get a handset with Bluetooth and wireless headset. With Bluetooth you can leave your handset in the middle of your appartment or small house and move around freely to talk.
Getting rid of Land Line
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