Landlines versus mobiles

At home I access the internet via my broadband package, so it’s ‘free’. Out and about I get it via whichever provider I’ve signed up with. Free calls and texts are pretty universal now so I look for a good level of data for a small price. It’s always worth haggling as we pay well under £10 for 12gb. I only ever use that much when I’m on holiday or away for the weekend.

MerylStreep, you can have internet connectivity through a router without paying for a landline. But, nevertheless, unless you have a very special arrangement, you do have landline technology to carry the signal to the internet - it's semantics. You can't make or receive voice calls over it.

You can also get the internet through a cable provider. No landline needed but still a 'pipe' for digital signals.

Not sure if you can use satellite but it would be really expensive.

You won't need a router for mobile data - your mobile provider provides the routing to the internet.

I hate mobile phones. they work on the assumption that you have nimble fingers and can feel your fingertips. I have mild dyspraxia, which means I am clumsy and am forever hitting the wrong keys and buttons and because, following an operation to remedy carpal tunnel syndrome, I cannot feel the tips of my fingers so I am constantly pressing the screen to softly or too hard so that nothing responds as it should.

I also hate getting phone calls when I am out and about and unless I can see it is urgent I do not bother to answer it.

I like my landline that I can answer in the quiet, concentrate on the conversation, whether personal or in arranging an appointment or delivery.

Yes, I can see all the advantages of having a mobile phone and I do always carry mine with me for emergency use - for sat nav and, occasionally for looking things up on google.

But i am much more comfortable with a computer with a decent size screen and a phone with proper buttons that are a decent size that I can be sure I am pressing the right one in the right way.

Mobile phones are only for those who are nimble fingered and dexterous. As far as phone manufacturers are concerned, they do not give a toss for anyone with any kind of manual disability.

We've still got a landline, but never use it for calls. I still love those old phones with the dial. You still see them for sale in antique shops sometimes. Our old phone was in the hall and I remember it always being quite exciting when it rang. Sad I know! I think they were more comfortable to speak on than mobiles actually.

For a long chat I prefer my landline, the handset is easier to hold , the sound is better . I like my mobile for texting and quick updates …. Where are you ? … IM AT THE CORNER , sort of things ?

Ijust do not understand why people want to walk around all the time holding a phone in their hand. It is irritating, reduces your manual dexterity and why does anyone constantly want to send messages to people. I managed very well before mobile phones were available and continue to manage perfctly well now.

Do not get me wrong, I do believe that mobile phones are a boon and blessing to all, but i really doubt if even one in a hundred of the messages people seem constantly sending could not wait until the person sending it was back in the comfort of their home.

I have my phone always on me. I rarely use it.

henetha

My landline sounds like someone is frying sausages in the background. So I hardly use it. I much prefer my mobile.

Mine too henetha. BT dug up street to the nearest junction box and lifted slabs in the garden and still not fixed. Mobile is better.

I use my landline all the time, I take my mobile out & about "just in case ", that's if I can find it and it's charged.

We have terrible Mobile reception in our village, so we have to boost it with our wifi, via the landline, indoors, outside we can’t use it unless we go down to the bottom of the village.
I can’t see anyone laying cables out to us any day soon as we are 4 to 5 miles from the nearest village.
But we are trying to remember to use our mobiles to phone a mobile number as the cost is included in our Landline fee, but MrOops usually reaches for the home phone…….

I live in Sweden and Swedish Telia has long ago cut the landlines and dodgy broadband in our area - 2018 I think.

We have an internet phone with the same number as the old landline (and no you don't need a landline for the internet). We live in an extremely rural area and receive our internet from so called "air fiberband"

I live in Germany - probably the most technophobe country in Europe. Here no one would use their mobile when in their own homes - I certainly wouldn't. The reception is bad inside buildings.

However, the powers that be have now recognised that we are behind here, especially following the pandemic with everyone WFH. We shall be getting fibre installed in our village in the next few months.

It does worry me that the world is relying more and more on the internet and cutting off backup systems, though. This bothers me more than people collecting my data.

Our internet went down yesterday for a brief time. Same thing happened a few months ago after installing a new router! Luckily....we still have the landline.