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Is it the end of the line for the landline?
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I have to agree. I was paying $35 for my home phone plus another $10 to $15 for my cell phone (a sparingly used one), monthly. I now pay $55 monthly for my smartphone, which is only $5 more, and I'm not looking back! I Installed Skype on my phone too, so I have even less to worry about.
And minutes? I get 200 of them for weekdays before 6 pm, I've had the phone for only half a month and I haven't used any of them up! Nope, not worried at all.
cheers,
supervij
And minutes? I get 200 of them for weekdays before 6 pm, I've had the phone for only half a month and I haven't used any of them up! Nope, not worried at all.
cheers,
supervij
I installed the Gmail call app after reading this article and am pretty impressed.
There was a slight lag, about quarter second, similar to my experiences with some cell calls.
But overall, very good quality - no buzzing or static.
I would LOVE to lose the landline. We pay around $60/month to Ma Bell, for the privilege of a phone number. That's minimal long distance and one calling feature.
There was a slight lag, about quarter second, similar to my experiences with some cell calls.
But overall, very good quality - no buzzing or static.
I would LOVE to lose the landline. We pay around $60/month to Ma Bell, for the privilege of a phone number. That's minimal long distance and one calling feature.
I can't believe the monthly bills many people admit to with a Bell landline.
We pay $27/month including tax and perhaps $30 with a long distance call or two. I am aware that a vast majority of Americans have ONLY cell phones.
Well the day here in Canada that 5 or even 2 bar calling areas are everywhere then I might consider switching. We had Rogers crappola in the beginning and the zone was dead, dead, dead. This is West Burlington (Aldershot) and our townhouse neighbour was always out on his balcony yelling into his cellphone and invading our privacy. I remember seeing others walking up and down the townhouse laneway looking in vain for even 1bar.
Then we switched to Virgin and suddenly we have 5 bars even out in the garage!. Consistent coverage ain't happ'n in Canada folks, suck it up.
I can imagine 8 or 9 neighbours bumping into each other in the rain or cold or snow at 20 below "can you hear me now?" and wishing they had kept their land line. sailmaker
We pay $27/month including tax and perhaps $30 with a long distance call or two. I am aware that a vast majority of Americans have ONLY cell phones.
Well the day here in Canada that 5 or even 2 bar calling areas are everywhere then I might consider switching. We had Rogers crappola in the beginning and the zone was dead, dead, dead. This is West Burlington (Aldershot) and our townhouse neighbour was always out on his balcony yelling into his cellphone and invading our privacy. I remember seeing others walking up and down the townhouse laneway looking in vain for even 1bar.
Then we switched to Virgin and suddenly we have 5 bars even out in the garage!. Consistent coverage ain't happ'n in Canada folks, suck it up.
I can imagine 8 or 9 neighbours bumping into each other in the rain or cold or snow at 20 below "can you hear me now?" and wishing they had kept their land line. sailmaker
It might not just be cellphones that make the landline obsolete, but the combination of VOIP and cellphone - VOIP at home where the Internet is broadband, and cellphone on the go.
I keep hearing good feedback about the magicjack and others like Vonage. As long as you have reliable Internet with decent speeds, telephone audio shouldn't be a challenge, and a cellphone provides a backup in emergencies.
I keep hearing good feedback about the magicjack and others like Vonage. As long as you have reliable Internet with decent speeds, telephone audio shouldn't be a challenge, and a cellphone provides a backup in emergencies.
There is no doubt that the conventional POTS line will become obsolete. It will be replaced by encoded audio over packet switching networks (AKA IP phone), either wired or wireless. Cell phones are great in theory but are still too expensive in Canada for most people. I get unlimited telephone with $.03/min long distance and virtually unlimited high speed internet for about $60/mo. I've yet to see a cell plan that comes even close at that price.
I hate paying for my landline phone. It is cheap like sailmaker said, and I really only have it for DSL: the cost of a "wet" loop over a dry loop is not much. Depending on other services you have, it is unlikely you can get DSL and a phone plan for much less than I pay, by any means, in Canada. Which is still IMO ridiculously high compared to even the U.S., but there companies can be cut-throat but here they're more collusional (with the CRTC's help).
Kind of OT, but the article's pic reminded me: have you guys noticed how often you see rotary-dial phones in European movies that have a contemporary setting? Are they in vogue or something? I'm talking the plain black ones. I even saw one in a recent contemporary American movie where the setting wasn't out in the sticks (I've mentioned before that for some reason I always notice the brand/type of phones in movies/TV, yet I have zero interest in phones of any type except as tools).
P.S They only inferred 25% of Americans have no landline, which is hardly a majority. This article is typical TS "reporting" though: they take a statistical minority position (12%) and blow it up into a "the sky is falling" type of article stance. I can't help but notice how they often report the minority results rather than the majority results. i.e. the vast majority of Canadians and Americans still have a landline like they did for the last 60+ years = no story. The TS has become a b(l)og paper (if that even makes sense), with no critical analysis or added value, merely cheap opinion, in their attempt to maintain readership...it ain't working.
Kind of OT, but the article's pic reminded me: have you guys noticed how often you see rotary-dial phones in European movies that have a contemporary setting? Are they in vogue or something? I'm talking the plain black ones. I even saw one in a recent contemporary American movie where the setting wasn't out in the sticks (I've mentioned before that for some reason I always notice the brand/type of phones in movies/TV, yet I have zero interest in phones of any type except as tools).
P.S They only inferred 25% of Americans have no landline, which is hardly a majority. This article is typical TS "reporting" though: they take a statistical minority position (12%) and blow it up into a "the sky is falling" type of article stance. I can't help but notice how they often report the minority results rather than the majority results. i.e. the vast majority of Canadians and Americans still have a landline like they did for the last 60+ years = no story. The TS has become a b(l)og paper (if that even makes sense), with no critical analysis or added value, merely cheap opinion, in their attempt to maintain readership...it ain't working.
We've got six people in the family. Rogers Home Phone is around $35 (less 15% bundling) for more minutes than we can use. I never intended to get cellphones for the kids, but they will use the landline when at home.
So how much would it cost me to get 6 cellphones (I assume on a "Family" plan)? Chances are it'llbe a *lot* more than what I'm paying now.
So how much would it cost me to get 6 cellphones (I assume on a "Family" plan)? Chances are it'llbe a *lot* more than what I'm paying now.
I guess I'm moving into the stone age, dumping one of two cell phones we had. I don't remember the last time I actually carried around my cell phone either. To the sensationalist Star, 88% of us must be in the stone age. Then again, 88% of us is probably the percentage of non-hip, young urban Torontonians that the Star thinks we all should be.
My landline, it is VoIP however, is essentially $10/month since I'm on a grandfathered plan from my ISP which gives me unlimited internet. The internet plan alone with dry loop is about $50 ($40+$10 dry loop), so for another $10 (hasn't changed in 3 years now) I have a line with 10 features.
I can't imagine I'll be getting rid of it anytime soon. I have tried Google phone, but our friends at the yellow big box electronics stores hesitate to pick up the phone when they see a California number calling their store. I had one rep ask me if I was using Google phone before answering my question because they saw the unrecognized area code. Having said that though, I have used Google phone from time to time, but with my limited non-Skype long distance usage I don't see it becoming a permanent fixture in my home.
My landline, it is VoIP however, is essentially $10/month since I'm on a grandfathered plan from my ISP which gives me unlimited internet. The internet plan alone with dry loop is about $50 ($40+$10 dry loop), so for another $10 (hasn't changed in 3 years now) I have a line with 10 features.
I can't imagine I'll be getting rid of it anytime soon. I have tried Google phone, but our friends at the yellow big box electronics stores hesitate to pick up the phone when they see a California number calling their store. I had one rep ask me if I was using Google phone before answering my question because they saw the unrecognized area code. Having said that though, I have used Google phone from time to time, but with my limited non-Skype long distance usage I don't see it becoming a permanent fixture in my home.
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150 Posts
Work hours are 8:00-4:30. Since I never call before 9am, or after 9pm, the only time I really need a phone is from 4:30-9pm evenings, and then on weekends. I have a plan that is 400 minutes for $20 a month.
The majority of time I need a phone I can call during the day at work!
I'm so glad that I ditched my home phone 3+ years ago. The Bell rep tried to convince me to stay in case I needed 911 service.
The majority of time I need a phone I can call during the day at work!
I'm so glad that I ditched my home phone 3+ years ago. The Bell rep tried to convince me to stay in case I needed 911 service.
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1,948 Posts
I won't be ditching my landline anytime soon. Not only is it used for internet (DSL) our house alarm is tied to it. Plus, cell coverage is in my neighbourhood is so-so.
Yeah, I may be a dinosaur but if the service just plain works, why switch?
Another thing, landline service in Canada is actually relatively cheap compared to many areas in the world. There was a time in parts of Europe, for example, that you had to be put on a waiting list and then pay a ton of money to maintain your service when you finally got it.
I totally agree with the article in that wireless penetration is much higher in the US due to the cheaper rates. Sure we've got Wind and Public Mobile but they're just a drop in the bucket compared to the millions of customers Robellus has.
Yeah, I may be a dinosaur but if the service just plain works, why switch?
Another thing, landline service in Canada is actually relatively cheap compared to many areas in the world. There was a time in parts of Europe, for example, that you had to be put on a waiting list and then pay a ton of money to maintain your service when you finally got it.
I totally agree with the article in that wireless penetration is much higher in the US due to the cheaper rates. Sure we've got Wind and Public Mobile but they're just a drop in the bucket compared to the millions of customers Robellus has.
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4,476 Posts
Not here.
The only cheaper two-way communications is the mail.
Traditional POTS service is so simple and reliable.
The only cheaper two-way communications is the mail.
Traditional POTS service is so simple and reliable.
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2,786 Posts
We ditched the landline 9 years ago - yeah, there were cellphone plans on the original Fido back then that made it feasible. No looking back since. Long after we had forgotten the landline concept (about couple of years ago), Shaw started bombarding us with offers for a landline. Hm, I wonder what's the next thing they will start pushing - fax, maybe? I had to check the calendar for the century.
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150 Posts
In the end, it comes down to an individual's opinion about the value they receive.
IIRC, home phone plans are about $25-$30 per month. So ask yourself this: how many minutes do you use the phone per month, that would have to pay using any other method of acceptable communication.
Divide the difference by the minutes used by your home phone and you'll calculate the effective usage price. Is it really worth it?
I would love to see so many users convert to VoIP and cost Robellus a lot of revenue.
Anyone out there with Teksavvy (et al) and VoIP?
IIRC, home phone plans are about $25-$30 per month. So ask yourself this: how many minutes do you use the phone per month, that would have to pay using any other method of acceptable communication.
Divide the difference by the minutes used by your home phone and you'll calculate the effective usage price. Is it really worth it?
I would love to see so many users convert to VoIP and cost Robellus a lot of revenue.
Anyone out there with Teksavvy (et al) and VoIP?
Seriously? $20per month? Back about 6 years ago Rogers/AT&T had this special $20/month plan that they offered to employees of our company -- it was meant to be a very nice plan. Over the 24-month term I *never* paid less than $35 with all the extra charges they threw in, and I couldn't throw away the phone quickly enough when the 24 months were over. Please don't say you are on a $20 plan because those *DO NOT* exist.
In our case, landline is cheap and convenient so it won't be going away soon in our house.
For people who spend a lot of time outside the home and have heavy duty mobile phones, it makes sense to drop the landline but I think that is still the minority of the population.
For people who spend a lot of time outside the home and have heavy duty mobile phones, it makes sense to drop the landline but I think that is still the minority of the population.
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430 Posts
sound quality
Maybe I am picky but to my ears a landline sounds way better than any cellphone. That warbling mpeg compression is awful. The Eastlink VOIP we have here (i guess you could call it voip, it uses eastlink's network with a little grey box at the demarc, so, to the user, it appears to be POTS) sounds just as good as the old fashioned version.
Maybe I am picky but to my ears a landline sounds way better than any cellphone. That warbling mpeg compression is awful. The Eastlink VOIP we have here (i guess you could call it voip, it uses eastlink's network with a little grey box at the demarc, so, to the user, it appears to be POTS) sounds just as good as the old fashioned version.
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150 Posts
Whatever.
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