Cell Phones for Primary Home use...?

[HammerDown]

How many do this...any cons?
I've been thinking about terminating my Home Phone and the bill that goes along with it:rolleyes: . and going wil a more minute Cell phone plan.
On paper it looks pretty good $$$

[Not So Fast]

You and me both, but I get so tired of dropped calls and poor reception with cell phones????. NSF

[photo chick]

How many do this...any cons?
I've been thinking about terminating my Home Phone and the bill that goes along with it:rolleyes: . and going wil a more minute Cell phone plan.
On paper it looks pretty good $$$
I do...I still have my home phone for emergencies but never use it and I know several people that do the same. I end up saving money actually! I leave my home phone unplugged most of the time b/c all I ever receive is sales calls..

[RitcheyRch]

We only use our home land line for DSL and incase need to call 911.

[Mr. Naudio]

would not have the home phone if not for football on direct tv

[RiverToysJas]

At home, we switched to Cable Telephone from Time Warner. $24/month for any called inside Ca. and like .10cents/minute outside Ca. Though for outside Ca I usually just use the Cell phone. I thought about switching to Cell Phone and not having a home phone, but the Cell phone drops too many calls and loses reception too much at my house. If I had 100% great cell service at home, I might of done it.
I think 911 from Cell phone works differently now, at least in some areas, but I don't know the details.
RTJas :D

[RitcheyRch]

911 from my cell phone calls the CHP.
At home, we switched to Cable Telephone from Time Warner. $24/month for any called inside Ca. and like .10cents/minute outside Ca. Though for outside Ca I usually just use the Cell phone. I thought about switching to Cell Phone and not having a home phone, but the Cell phone drops too many calls and loses reception too much at my house. If I had 100% great cell service at home, I might of done it.
I think 911 from Cell phone works differently now, at least in some areas, but I don't know the details.
RTJas :D

[phebus]

911 from my cell phone calls the CHP.
In California (don't know about other states), 911 calls go to CHP. If you had a true emergency, the call would have to be routed from CHP to your local agency, creating a little delay.

[squirt'nmyload]

would not have the home phone if not for football on direct tv
don't let directv tell you that you need it for the football package....they told me the same thing......you don't!!!!......i don't have a home phone and i get it every year.....the only thing you can't do is order pay per view from the remote.

[Moneypitt]

I had a home phone service that was really cheap, like 10-15 per month for limited use. I think it was a 2 hour limit,(out going, in coming wasn't limited) 120 minutes local......And use the cell for everything else......MP

[jbone]

The 911 thing is very important for 2 reason.
1. In an emergency at home, when you dial 911 it goes to local agency and they know the address. If you hang up or are getting your ass kicked etc. they will will respond to your house. Calling 911 from your cell routes to CHP as mentioned. They don't know who your are or where you are calling from.
2. Reverse 911 calls. This is already online in many places and will be standard soon. Reverse 911 allows local agencies to call all phones in a particular area with a message allerting them of emergency situations. Especially helpful in evacuation situations.
I work nights, so for the wife it is very important to me that if she dials 911 someone will come.
J

[AltarGirl]

How many do this...any cons?
I've been thinking about terminating my Home Phone and the bill that goes along with it:rolleyes: . and going wil a more minute Cell phone plan.
On paper it looks pretty good $$$
I only have a cell phone & it works great for me

[Magic]

We switched our land line to Vonage. (internet based) For $39 a month you get unlimited minutes and free long distance. We also added an 800 number for $5 a month so our friends/family can call for free from anywhere. Came in real handy when our daughter went out of the country last year. (Probably payed for the whole years service right there)

[Boozer]

There are lots of VoIP phone companies out there now. Vonage has had a lot of problems and is pretty damn pricey compared to what's out there. I pay $28 a month for unlimited local and long distance (even Canada and Mexico), plus I get voicemail, caller id etc. etc. through my local cable company for VoIP. The quality isnt quite as good but for the money you can not go wrong.
I use my home phone as primarily a back up phone. Before I made the switch I also considered a Measured line through the phone company but when I added on all their surcharges, fees, etc. it was actually going to cost more for a measured use line from the phone company then it does to have unlimited everything through the cable companies VoIP I'm getting now.

[Baja Big Dog]

Havent had a landline for 4 years, no more "I tried you at home and you didnt answer" BS. One number works great.

[QuickJet]

Cell only for me too. The only thing I use my landline for is the computer and Duesh satellite.

[TAF]

Yep, I only have T-mobile cell phone and no landline phone or cable TV at home. No complaints here. My reception has gotten much better over the years.

[STV_Keith]

I had also contemplated this, since my home phone barely ever gets used, other than ordering a pizza or something. Most of the incoming calls are sales calls. For $48/month, I was thinking it's a waste.
Got a flier in the mail from a VoIP service called SunRocket.com (http://www.sunrocket.com) and looked into their plans. They offer a pre-paid year plan for $200 (16.60/mo), but the one I liked was their Limited Edition Plan (http://www.sunrocket.com/services/plans/limited) for $9.95/month. With taxes, it's $10.52.
200 minutes to U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, and 41 international SunSpotsSM (only 3¢ per additional minute)
Unlimited inbound calls
Free calls to other SunRocket subscribers
Over 12 built-in calling features, including Caller ID, 3-way Calling, and much more
Enhanced Emergency 911 Service
Option to add voicemail or an extra phone number, each for $3 per month
So I tried it out. $40 for the equipment, got it in a week. Plugged it into my router and made a call. Good to go...no issues. I can port over my existing phone line if I want too.
Also, their web interface shows all incoming, outgoing and missed calls, and from what number. Gives you the ability to then block those calls, as well as other things like add them to an address book or make a call to the number.
For $10/mo I thought it was a great way to cut the bill and still have the phone.

[C-2]

There are so many alternative carriers offering smoking deals on landline phones. It's the taxes which get ya, the lines themselves with Nationwide long distance, VM, call forwarding etc - can be had for $20-$25 month.
I know behind the scenes, credit card agencies and cellular carriers are battling it out. Credit card companies and others are lobbying for landline phone requirements for credit uissuance due to all the fraud.

[nodigg]

I ONLY use the cell. Once WI-fi is all over all of us, What will be the need for a land line ever again? If I am sittig next to a land line, I still use the cell.

[Kilrtoy]

have not had a land line in 2 and 1/2 years and do not miss it.
where we live 911 goes straight to the local PD and local Fire

[Devilman]

I had a home phone service that was really cheap, like 10-15 per month for limited use. I think it was a 2 hour limit,(out going, in coming wasn't limited) 120 minutes local......And use the cell for everything else......MP
Had something similar to this couple of years ago, when I was using my house more as a shop/hotel than actually living there. Went to cancel phone service & they gave the "no 911 on a cell phone" deal & informed me of what they called "restricted usage" or something like that. No extra features (call waiting, etc.), no long distance calls, basically $13 a month for a dial tone...
And they only told me about it when I wanted to shut the phone off. :rolleyes: Guess they keep info like that under a "don't ask, don't tell" policy.... :D

[blown65]

Only reason I have a landline is because of my security system at the house. I never really use the phone (not even for net since I'm on cable)
50 bucks a month for my landline with NO long distance.

[My Man's Sportin' Wood]

We only have the land line so the kids can call us if they need to. Once the kids have their own cell phones, it's gone.

[driverno8]

I don't have a home phone. We use cell phones. I also have DirecTV and order pay-per-view all the time. The only reason DitecTV wants you to have a phone line is for your system to call them daily and tell them what you're watching. That's how they keep track of ratings. I haven't had a phone hooked to my box in like 238 days...Tivo reminds me of this every day.

[DelawareDave]

Cell phones only. Kids have their own, and so do the wife and I. No sense paying for a phone to sit there and collect dust. That, and I'll be damned if I'm gonna keep answering the phone for someone elses calls! :D

[Dezertrider]

Cell phone works great for me. Had to call 911 once and it was faster to go to the neighbors house and call from there. I never got a hold of anyone on my cell. Thats in OC

[a catered life]

We only use our home land line for DSL and incase need to call 911.
use too we get so many sales calls....when people call on the house phone i generally know its for cassandra and dont even look at it.....

[HammerDown]

Wow, I never would have thought so many ditched their home land lines!
I'm giving it some serious consideration...looking at bigger Cell plans w/Cingular where I know I'll have solid 5 bars in every room, even the basement. (I did a 3-day test)
This means dunping Verizon, where a signal in my home is poor at best.
Thanks for all the feedback...;)

[BoatPI]

Like some mentioned I have used Sunrocket for two years with perfect service. I have three lines. I have taken a module to Canada, and to hotels rooms around the country. As long as I located a high speed net plug, it configured within 2 minutes and had perfect telephopne service from the 714 area code, my home area code. Jas, u need to dump that Time Warner high price stuff and switch to Sunrocket unlimited plan is $199 (16.90 per mo) a year for 24/7 unlimited calls.
They just introduced calling to China, 1 cent per minute!

[blown65]

Just found out Vonage has local by me. Im switching now.

[mbrown2]

would not have the home phone if not for football on direct tv
Frank...no phones in my house...just order payper view over the internet...:)

[Misogynist]

I've been totally cellular at home for years. I'm even thinking of porting over my work number to a cell phone because it's only 10 bucks more a month. The only reason I have a land line at work is for the occasional fax. I use my cell phone more than any other phone. Oh.... with the later CDMA phones (Verizon) when you call 911 they get your GPS location. So you don't need to tell them where you are located.

[mrs.rvrluvr]

whats a cell phone:D

[DILLIGAF]

I use a cell. I was forwarding my home numbers to my cell anyhow so I just did away with it. Actually, I still need a copper line for my alarm in AZ but other than that don't need one. I am not worried about 911.....