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Help me drop my land line

M

mavrick1903

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 28, 2010
57
0
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

I'd like to drop my land line. service is ok, not great at home. I've got a google voice account, and the GV app for my iP4. Is this enough to make WiFi VoIP calls? (when I try, it seems to default the call to the native cellular on the device. forgive me if this is already discussed, diddnt know what to search for.
 
mavrick1903 said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

I'd like to drop my land line. service is ok, not great at home. I've got a google voice account, and the GV app for my iP4. Is this enough to make WiFi VoIP calls? (when I try, it seems to default the call to the native cellular on the device. forgive me if this is already discussed, diddnt know what to search for.
Click to expand...

I don't know much about the quality or functionality of Google Voice. However, I have recently purchased an unlimited plan from Skype. It's $3 a month, or $30 for the year (15% off if you buy a whole year). You get unlimited Skype to skype, skype to landline, and skype to mobile over 3G or Wifi. If you use 3G, it uses up your data allowance but Wifi doesn't do that.

Over all, I'm very satisfied so far and I'm also considering dropping my landline at home.
 
mavrick1903 said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

I'd like to drop my land line. service is ok, not great at home. I've got a google voice account, and the GV app for my iP4. Is this enough to make WiFi VoIP calls? (when I try, it seems to default the call to the native cellular on the device. forgive me if this is already discussed, diddnt know what to search for.
Click to expand...


I believe that GV is not a VoIP app, if you want VoIP go for skype or just use your regular mobile number.
 
mrkramer said:
I believe that GV is not a VoIP app, if you want VoIP go for skype or just use your regular mobile number.
Click to expand...

correct.

as the second posted said look into skype. OR, if you use ATT and have a plan with A list. Set your Google number to one of your A list contacts. That way you have unlimited calls with your google number.
 
solideliquid said:
I don't know much about the quality or functionality of Google Voice. However, I have recently purchased an unlimited plan from Skype. It's $3 a month, or $30 for the year (15% off if you buy a whole year). You get unlimited Skype to skype, skype to landline, and skype to mobile over 3G or Wifi. If you use 3G, it uses up your data allowance but Wifi doesn't do that.

Over all, I'm very satisfied so far and I'm also considering dropping my landline at home.
Click to expand...

Isn't that unlimited outbound only for Skype? Don't they charge separately for inbound calls?

I had those dinky MagicJack devices, and while it served a basic purpose for $40 a year, I didn't want the software sitting on my desktop, especially knocking it out whenever my machine wasn't logged in or in the middle of a reboot. So, I picked up an Ooma for $160 and been pretty satisfied since, with unlimited inbound and outbound, and I was able to port my old telco number.
 
I haven't had a landline in about 3 years. My wife and I have cell phones...that's all we need.
 
Yeah I can't remember the last time I used or even called someone else's landline.
 
What's a landline?

Really, why do you even ask this question? There is no "help" involved. Just cancel the service.
 
M-5 said:
Yeah I can't remember the last time I used or even called someone else's landline.
Click to expand...

This.
I debated whether there was really a need to keep my landline. The cost for zero use was ridiculous over the span of a year. The taxes and added fees alone made me pause. Dropped it and haven't regretted it for a second.
 
I'm pretty satisfied with Vonage. Heck, I pay for a digital cable landline and it has static 80% of the time. Vonage, no issues.
 
kas23 said:
What's a landline?

Really, why do you even ask this question? There is no "help" involved. Just cancel the service.
Click to expand...

Yes, I'm not sure what the issue is here...the OP seems to have an iPhone. Is there some desperate need for something in addition to it??
 
Mliii said:
This.
I debated whether there was really a need to keep my landline. The cost for zero use was ridiculous over the span of a year. The taxes and added fees alone made me pause. Dropped it and haven't regretted it for a second.
Click to expand...

We REALLY want to drop ours as well, but unfortunately our alarm company has by the short hairs. If we drop the landline our two options for continuing a monitored connection to the alarm company is either via an internet or cell device and both come with steep installation costs AND additional monthly charges. Together that pretty much negates the cost of the landline. :rolleyes:
 
I still have a land line. Why wouldn't I. Everything that I register for that uses a phone number gets that number. It is connected to an answering system and I send the voice mails to my email account.

No need to have businesses, politicians, or sales people calling me on my mobile
 
MagicJack here. Saving us ALOT over paying for "regular" phone service. Had it for almost 2 years now and couldn't be happier. Call quality is as good or better then phone company.
 
b-rad g said:
MagicJack here. Saving us ALOT over paying for "regular" phone service. Had it for almost 2 years now and couldn't be happier. Call quality is as good or better then phone company.
Click to expand...

What happens when you have a fire or emergency and need to call 911? What if the emergency were so bad that you could only call 911 and are unable to tell them your address?

Good luck getting service.
 
mstrze said:
I haven't had a landline in about 3 years. My wife and I have cell phones...that's all we need.
Click to expand...

Same as my wife and me. I have unlimited long distance & no roaming charges, so no matter where i am in the country I can call her and the kids without any insane costs. I was considering using a VOIP solution with my phone but it's pointless with my situation since my monthly fee basically covers everything, leaving me all my data plan for random mobile browsing when wifi isn't available.
 
We gave up our landline phone a few years ago. All of us had cellphones, and the only calls I'd get on the landline were telemarketers. And while toying with the mindless peasants when they called was fun, it got old quick. Plus paying the extra $30 a month for it seemed pointless. So I canceled the landline and use the extra $30 a month for my beer fund.
Everyone wins!

Now the OP mentioned something about his quality of his cell service out where he lives. If your voice connection is decent, I'd drop the landline and then get unlimited minutes on your cell. But only if its feasible cost wise.
Look at all your options.
 
tunerX said:
What happens when you have a fire or emergency and need to call 911? What if the emergency were so bad that you could only call 911 and are unable to tell them your address?

Good luck getting service.
Click to expand...

Direct phone numbers of local police and fire loaded into the cell phone. And FWIW, being in Southern California during the 94 earthquake and painfully close to the epicenter, my cell phone worked while my landline didn't...
 
Mliii said:
Direct phone numbers of local police and fire loaded into the cell phone. And FWIW, being in Southern California during the 94 earthquake and painfully close to the epicenter, my cell phone worked while my landline didn't...
Click to expand...

What if you cannot talk. The local station/FD cannot even determine what tower the call was made from. At least with mobile 911 your tower information is read and the CHP can transfer the call to the local station that services that tower. Still good luck finding the address or apartment number.

I prefer my kids being able to pick up the landline dial 911 and have my info available to the 911 operator so the police, ambulance, and/or fire truck can come straight to me.
 
tunerX said:
What if you cannot talk. The local station/FD cannot even determine what tower the call was made from. At least with mobile 911 your tower information is read and the CHP can transfer the call to the local station that services that tower. Still good luck finding the address or apartment number.

I prefer my kids being able to pick up the landline dial 911 and have my info available to the 911 operator so the police, ambulance, and/or fire truck can come straight to me.
Click to expand...

Well, we can go back and forth on this to no real purpose. And I agree with you that it isn't a perfect solution. All of your points were included in my calculus. I just decided the upside outweighed the downside.
 
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