Bob

That's what I wanted to know. Something to do with the police doing the town emergency calls only going to landlines, but I think it's more against certain VOIP providers who don't do the 911 emergency thing and it's a catch all to make their lives easier.

Though I think everyone can get the 911 thing squared away so it shouldn't be a problem.

Or it might just be because they can only auto call local area code numbers. I know we couldn't port our old landline number when we moved here for some reason.

Steve_

Try www.republicwireless.com it uses a new technology whereby it switches between wifi and CDMA, so if you are at home with the wifi on, calls cost nothing (other than the $5 monthly fee) and if you're away from a wifi signal, you use the phone normally.

The only downside is that the CDMA carrier is Sprint who are a bit crap on coverage but you save so much using the wifi it's not an issue really if you're forced to roam.

NatashaB

We have a Vonage phone with a UK and a US number, both come through to the same phoneline.

Pulaski

You can't port a landline number outside of it's exchange area, you certainly couldn't and I still think they don't allow it, but you can port any domestic US number to a cell phone, so as long as the "exchange" numbers (4th, 5th, and 6th digit of your ten digit phone number) are "local" to your school district, they aren't going to know that you have ported the number to a cell phone.

Bob

Then they probably just didn't want to have to explain it

RoadWarriorFromLP

If she is dialing from a UK landline, then it would cost her substantially more to call a UK mobile than it would to call a UK landline.

But she pays no premium at all to call a US mobile. The premium paid comes out of your pocket, in the form of airtime minutes.

scrubbedexpat099

I have Ooma for my phone, no landline at all.

I use Rebtel to call the UK and to allow my Brother to call me. The rates to his landline is reasonable, to his mobile not so.

I have also been looking at Republic Wireless, I very rarely use a phone away from base. Ooma sends me an email with any message left on the main number, I can call using my Tablet to make calls, obviously not quite so convenient. It is not very often than I need to return calls immediately, I have no desire to be instantly contactable like some.

Republic Wireless announced the Motorola X today, $300 and as stated their plans start at $5 if you just use wifi, you can change your plan twice a month, so that may be the way to go if I need cell service occasionally.

Ruth16

I wanted to get rid of my land line phone as all I get are cold calls anyhow and I don't even know the number if I'm asked , but my family says to keep it for calling 911 if needed , your address shows up, doesn't on your cell phone .

Yorkieabroad

Are they "open" again? We tried to get my son one of those deals when they first started a couple of years back, but it was oversubscribed. We checked the box for "let me know when its available again" and never heard anything else. Probably went to the junk folder....

scrubbedexpat099

They were running Beta for a while. Sprint is the big downer. They are supposed to be adding some more phones, presumably the G will be next.

No rush, might wait for that.

Yorkieabroad

We weren't that worried about the carrier, as he really only uses it at home, school or from friends, so pretty much always has access to wifi. We ended up adding him to our T-Mobile family plan for $15 a month with a free smartphone, "unlimited" data and more minutes than he can ever use - until he gets a girlfriend and/or passes through the monosyllabic grunt phase...

scrubbedexpat099

RW have a $5 plan for just wifi and as I do not answer when driving I usually have wifi access or can find some if desperate.

I pay $15 pm now which works out about $1 per minute.

kins

Didn't you mention apostrophe abuse on another thread...?

scrubbedexpat099

You have been burned

kodokan

We've just added our teen son to our plan, but it's cheaper than that - $50 for the first device (mine), $30 for the next (hubby) and then $10 for every subsequent device afterwards, all for unlimited calls, text and data. This is the newish plan they've brought out, which is just the airtime but you need to already have the phones, or to buy them separately. We don't have a landline, and it's not been a problem - even the school announcement system is happy to phone the cells with its automated message.