Have You Done Away with Your Landline?
Ask a Question
I have been thinking about getting rid of ours at home for a while now, as we rarely use it, although I think our broadband still needs a line to connect to - so it just means saving the cost of the landline but paying just a tad more for broadband (but a saving overall)
what do you do for your home?
Like many (probably most) others I require a landline for my broadband connection, I also need broadband to watch catch up TV. (The vast majority of broadband packages require a landline where line rental is included)
I have found a compromise that saves: It is to stop paying for outgoing calls from landline by cancelling call package which saves £120 a year, I retain landline phone for incoming calls and use a penny a minute mobile for outgoing calls. Those who get rid of their landline phone might find that those who have to pay large amounts to call a mobile are reluctant to call them, but this way it doesn't matter. I also find that the people I sometimes call from my mobile for very long chats, knowing about this (and having a call package themself) will call me back on my landline.
Although I read recently that more calls are now made from mobiles than landlines - I think it will be a very long time before landlines become a thing of the past.
I have to admit I make very few calls, and most interactions would be via an app - even the banks prefer to use apps or chatbots rather than make a call these days. It just feels like a waste having to pay for something you can do without
hspexy I haven't had a spam call on my landline phone for over three years. The phone I bought with "call guardian" on it was worth every penny I paid for it.
hspexy There are a few different ones mine is a BT 8500 it cost £22.99 supposedly "refurbished" but was new. It's the best cordless phone I've ever owned.
I got mine via ebay - they sell on Amazon too. There are newer models available too.
You make an allow list and those callers get through but unrecognised numbers have to state who they are and press the # before your phone will ring, you then have the choice to accept or reject the call. I've yet to have ONE spam caller willing to go through the process.
Hi hspexy I have no land line. I've not had a phone in the house for 10 years now.i just got my mobile and tablet runs of a SIM card. And I've save money by doing it this way. What I've done is I got two mobiles . one stay in the house which I call it the house phone. And my other phone comes with me. When I go out. 
ah yes, thanks for reminding me that that's an option also - I sometimes think about just running off a data SIM but not sure if it is as powerful and fibre optic, but then I guess it depends what I use it for. Some mobile data is very fast, fast enough for me 
Hi hspexy I have no trouble with my tablet on a SIM card. It dos all what i need. To do.
nicolajaynehend I suppose it's "horses for courses" most of the people who call me are elderly and wouldn't like to have to be paying perhaps 40p a minute to be calling me on a mobile. I also need pretty good broadband speed because any TV I watch is via the internet.
Hi davidstockport in your case it's diffant you need broad band for the tv. I've not had a tv to watch in two years. Just watch DVD. But hoping to get a tv soon. But i am to going to have broad band. My two mobiles are on a monthly and it's cheap for me 
nicolajaynehend That's what I meant by "horses for courses" I don't watch live TV but use a Now TV box to watch catch up and am currently on a no contract Cinema pass where I pay £3.30 a month.
Hi davidstockport what are the now tv box like do you have to have the internet. I've not heared of a cinema pass be for. you would need the internet for it. But it sounds good for £3.30 a month cheaper then going to the cinema.
nicolajaynehend The Now TV Boxes (or sticks) are very inexpensive gadgets that plug into the TV. Mine was £15 with a two month cinema pass, just over two years ago. Once established you don't "have to" pay anything to just watch catch up TV or YouTube and some other apps - the cinema pass is £9.90 a month - but I'm on three months for the price of one at the moment (for the second time).
As already said you do need broadband to use - you don't need a TV licence unless you watch any programme as it's transmitted or want to watch BBC catch up.
Hi davidstockport thank you ever so much for all your help. When I do get my new tv I will get the stick. I thought it had to be done on the internet. And I like the sound of the cinema past. It's a lot cheaper then going to a cinema. Once again thank you.
nicolajaynehend You do need a reasonable broadband speed to use them Nicola - they work on wi-fi from your router (although you can also use a wired connection with the box). I'm on faster fiber with unlimited data. So have no problems. There's no contract so you don't have to pay for what you don't want. (needn't pay anything and still use for catch up, youtube and some other apps)
I have a landline and I don't want to get rid of it because it's there for emergencies. If your mobile runs out of battery and you need to call 999 or a visitor comes and you collapse and they can't unlock your phone and they don't have their own. Landlines save lives. Lol
GlitchHunter I read through the almost all of the thread here, nodding and asking myself why I hadn't thought of that and Wow! should be saving by just using the mobiles ........and then read your comment and remembered that this was my argument a couple of years ago when the subject was brought up. 
I have this nightmare scenario of fainting and someone attempting to pull my eyelid open for the retina scan. There are some things I refuse to give up - but I may just look at a couple of the previous ides.
I currently don't have a landline. I moved around 9 years ago and didn't bother setting one up. I also try to avoid calling landlines from my mobile, as it's not included in my monthly plan, so incurs an additional cost.
That's why my way is best for me - I can can call landline or mobiles for one penny a minute (on Pay as you go), those who don't use much data on phone (I don't use any) are probably wasting money paying for a monthly SIM.
Those who do have to pay extortionate charges for calls from mobiles to landlines might save by getting a dual SIM phone (or another cheap mobile) and just using the penny a minute SIM for calls to landlines.
We have a phone line for our broadband but we don't have a call package so saves us money.
Join for free to get genuine deals, money saving advice and help from our friendly community
Chief Bargain Hunter
