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Landline phones

(34 Posts)
mrsmopp Thu 23-May-19 11:51:48

I've been using the landline because it's compatible with hearing aids, but my phone has died. None of the phone shops sell landline phones any more as everyone has mobiles. It's either Amazon or Argos for a new phone. But for how long?
My other question is why does virgin and BT insist that we keep our landlines - they are part of the package with Internet and TV. I'm confused now.

EllanVannin Sat 15-Jun-19 12:31:42

I got a great ex-display landline phone off ebay last year. It's a BT digital cordless with everything you need on it including display number-------I think it was £11 !
I have to have a landline as my emergency link is via the phone system.

MrsAllboys Sat 15-Jun-19 10:57:04

I think land-lines will be around for some time to come, and lots of places sell old style phones. As has been said a land-line is necessary for internet connection (unless you have optic fibre or cable). Also there are many areas where the signal is so poor that mobile phones don’t work effectively...I live in one such area ! So I really need my landline. I do have a smart phone and an iPad which I wouldn’t be without but even if it wasn’t strictly necessary I would still keep my old, traditional, landline (plugged in directly not dependent on electricity or batteries) because it’s a safety net in case of emergencies. So I hope they don’t make them obsolete before I pop my clogs!?

blondenana Sat 15-Jun-19 10:49:09

I only pay £21 a month for my internet, landline including line rental and anytime calls anywhere in the uk, up to 1 hour plus 500 mobile calls to EE my mobile phone is o2, mainly because one son lives in Spain so all o2 to o2 calls to him are free
I change my internet provider like my fuel provider every year usually and was going to change to the post office as they were the next cheapest, but EE offered me a better deal to stay with them, plus over £17 they had charged me for my mobile calls from landline, only trying to locate my mobile

Humbertbear Sat 15-Jun-19 10:16:49

Our WiFi is delivered via landline so we can’t get rid of it. We never use it, preferring free calls on our mobiles, and it rarely rings. However, we have had the same number for 50 years and for people with whom we are not often in contact it is the only way they can reach us. We would be loath to get rid of it even if we could.

M0nica Sat 15-Jun-19 00:17:20

High Street mobile phone shops only sell mobile phones because that is what they were set up to sell, they never did sell landline phones.

But as others have shown they can easily be bought in lots of other shops. The OP just made the mistake of initially going to the wrong type of shop.

Tangerine Fri 14-Jun-19 23:23:29

Try Curry's. I use my mobile but wouldn't want to be without my landline.

SalsaQueen Fri 14-Jun-19 21:16:50

I bought my Panasonic handsets from Argos, a number of years ago, and I've got one in the living room, 1 in the kitchen, 1 in the spare room (where my computer is). I much prefer to talk on a landline, although I've got 2 mobiles (one for work), and my husband has got a mobile.

Izabella Fri 14-Jun-19 21:00:51

Mrsmopp my hearing aids are comparable with an iPhone

GabriellaG54 Fri 14-Jun-19 20:46:03

Robert Dyas stores sell landline phones in 1s 2s 3s or 4s.

BillieW Fri 24-May-19 16:37:29

We are with BT, we have handsets, and mobiles. We use Call Guardian, we also have an old phone, in case the electricity fails, as we get a poor signal of the mobiles at home! I only answer my mobile if it's one of my contacts, that is my recorded message, and it also asks them to leave a message. Whilst I get on average 4 non contact calls a week, they never leave a message as they are dialer generated!!!
My question is -- whenever I buy something and they ask for my email, my non contact list calls go up! So is it because they still sell the numbers?

NanaMacGeek Fri 24-May-19 10:32:22

It's true that cordless phones don't work in a power cut. Power for phone calls is delivered along the landline cable to a corded phone. During a recent power cut I used my mobile phone to carry on with emails and internet transactions.

If I hadn't had my mobile phone with me yesterday, I would have missed spending time with my DGD when my DIL rang me to say school was closed for polling and asked what was I doing. I was at a garage waiting for my car to be fixed (not all that far away from them) so I was picked up and had a lovely day! A real treat as I don't see them very often.

Moocow Fri 24-May-19 08:18:56

Like M0nica having a landline is very useful to give to certain people & organisations. I really do not want calls when I am out and about.

FarNorth Fri 24-May-19 01:13:35

Just what I was coming on to say, PamelaJ1.

A corded landline phone still works during a power cut - a cordless one doesn't.

callgirl1 Thu 23-May-19 23:57:42

I use the landline all the time, I have a mobile phone, but I hate the things. Hubby and I only bought them to keep in touch with our daughter when on holiday. Mine lives in the cupboard, comes out once a week when I go into town, just in case there are no taxis at the rank and I have to call for one.

PamelaJ1 Thu 23-May-19 18:52:22

It’s a good idea to have an old handset( not a cordless one) in case of an outage. The cordless ones don’t work without electricity.

mrsmopp Thu 23-May-19 18:43:56

Bluebelle, you are so kind! It's not often anyone offers me fizzers.....?
I'm getting a phone that is hearing aid compatible which mobiles are not. But mobiles are fine for texting and emails which landlines are not. I guess I need both.

NanaMacGeek Thu 23-May-19 18:42:22

Your internet connection is delivered over your landline unless you have it delivered as part of a cable TV package or live in one of the very few new-builds that have optic fibre to the house. Landline voice calls use the lower frequencies on the copper line into your house and internet connectivity to a router is provided by higher frequencies over the same copper cable (this is why you need a filter on all handset sockets to prevent interference).

There are plenty of handsets for sale, both corded and cordless, with and without answer machines, you just have to google them and shops like Currys have them on display.

Despite having mobiles, we still use a landline with a couple of cordless phones. The ringtone on the handsets is much louder, and we always know where they are. We can hear the answerphone message as it is delivered and decide whether or not to answer. We transfer calls between handsets and receive and send text messages. They have bluetooth connections so mobile phone contacts can be transferred to them wirelessly. Finally, as part of our broadband package, most landline calls to UK landlines and mobiles are free (with the usual exceptions which would also be expensive using a mobile).

BlueBelle Thu 23-May-19 17:59:51

I ve just offered the poster two fizzers

fizzers Thu 23-May-19 17:41:42

I only have a landline because I have to have one with my Sky broadband/tv, I'll be honest , I don't use it and don't even know the number, I use the mobile all the time which works out way cheaper for me, but as regards landline handsets there are plenty out there, Argos, Ebay, Amazon, Tesco to name but a few

M0nica Thu 23-May-19 16:36:55

Wherever possible I give corporate organisations my landline number. I hate getting phone calls when I am out and about, doing shopping, walking in noisy busy streets etc etc.

kittylester Thu 23-May-19 14:35:18

I have no idea where that came from. hmmconfused

kittylester Thu 23-May-19 14:09:15

VQ

BlueBelle Thu 23-May-19 13:41:04

I ve got a couple of landline phones you can have if you want they are working but surplus to my requirements

tanith Thu 23-May-19 13:34:01

I’d give it up like a shot as I hardly use but I’ve found BTs internet to be totally reliable over the years so I have to stick with them ?

Grammaretto Thu 23-May-19 13:31:04

I use the landline still. It's here in the house so if the house is burning down, I call 999, the fire engines will know where to come. wink
I know the number whereas apart from my own, I cant keep track of mobiles .
It doesn't need charging.
I know where the handset is as it's got a cord.
UK calls are included "free " with the BT package.
However I resent paying the admin costs each quarter so have considered giving it up.