frrussre

Yes I know, most people have given up their landline. Living in Florida, power outages & all, we decided to keep our line, for "Emergency only".

We cancelled, the AT&T long distance, this dropped the bill from around $60 mo to $22 mo (Thats the minimum, unlimited local calls). Due to various, increases, price hit $26.52.

The bill now has, a new charge/Fee $4.77, since June.

Called CS:

they said some new "AT&T Long distance service fee" $4.77".

I said "I don't use the long distance, we use our Cell phones",

they said "it's because, you did not use Long distance, so we now add a charge, for not using it",

THE BLOODY WORLD HAS GONE $%%^$%^&%&**(&***^^ CRAZY.

Reg. Frank R.

fatbrit

Go VOIP.

callcentric -- bring your own ATA, lie about where you live so you don't get the 911 charge, use one of the dirt cheap numbers....and it'll cost you bugger all.

Mummy in the foothills

Get a new phone company for land line I'm sure some let you opt out of long distance all together.

frrussre

These days, who is left. Guess Verizon.

All we need is "Basic Line", pay per use. Whatever happened to that deal.

Reg. Frank R

Giantaxe

Actually, I think you simply need to select a different long distance carrier, preferably one that doesn't charge fees for not using it. At least, that's what I did when AT&T puled this shit here.

But do you really need a land line these days? I'm not convinced that the land line network is more robust than cellular networks these days in the event of power outages. I guess you could argue you need a power supply to charge your 'phone, but that's easily overcome by using a car charger if need be.

Mummy in the foothills

Aren't there any local land line companies there anymore?
We have our phone with a local family owned company.

Noorah101

I have Cox Communications (bundle package including land line, cable TV and high speed internet). The land line is something like $16 a month to simply have it, which is fine. I use my cell phone to make US long distance calls, it's free. I pay an extra .99 cents a month to Cox to get discount rates calling overseas. Calling Iran is only .12 cents a minute, cheaper than even calling cards, and so much easier to just pick up the phone and dial out...without all those long 800 numbers and pin numbers that calling cards use.

Rene

fatbrit

Callcentric
Iran landline 7.15c/min
Iran cell phone 10.45c/min

Noorah101

Hmmm, interesting. I wonder, if you use the adapter (so you can use a "real phone" instead of the computer), does the phone have to be right next to the computer?

I usually have to call in the middle of the night, and it can take 10 times dialing in a row, or maybe trying a few times at 1 am, then again at 2 am, then again at 3 am, etc. If I have to get up out of bed to go to the computer each time I do this, it's probably not worth the .0155 savings. But if I can still use it from my bedside phone, that would be great!

Rene

fatbrit

Presumably you use the silly COX modem with the integrated ATA at the moment, i.e. your telephone is plugged into phone jacks on the bottom of the modem?

If you use a VOIP service such as Callcentric, it's the same but there's a different box that goes between your modem and router. Some services provide them for free, others you bring your own. Callcentric is dirt cheap for occasional calls and calls to weird places overseas. You don't need a computer powered up, but you do need an Internet connection from your modem.

You can just put a doubler on your nearest phone jack and have it like Qwest at every phone point in the house PROVIDED you make sure you've pulled the plug on Qwest's box and put a piece of tape over the socket with a suitable warning. Sounds complicated but it really ain't.

frrussre

The reason we keep a Landline is incase no electricity (Last hurricane, in Sth Fl, no power for 10 days), can plug in old non digital phone. There are also times when cell phones are out for few days. 9/11 NY & the Eastern seaboard power outage 2005.

My dear old mother "95", in UK, some remember that deal. Our son lives in Atlanta, so too far to drive around the corner.

Question for those that only have Cell Phone, what do you put on application forms, that ask for "Telephone #, must be Landline"?


Reg. Frank R.

fatbrit

FFS: http://www.amazon.com/All-Power-Amer.../dp/B00265M9TM

Give them your Google Voice number.

frrussre

Have you tried this?

Good idea, not sure will work. Will check that out.

Frank R.

fatbrit

I don't give anybody anything but my Google Voice number.

frrussre

Hi Fatbrit, my wife recently, had to complete some Federal forms, one of the pieces of information "Home phone number, must be Landline", I know there have been other times, we have had to do the same with Banks. I suspect so they can cross reference our address & phone number.

Just wondering how people get around this.

Reg. Frank R.