DISQUS

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS · 1 year ago

I think for the older generation, (ie: above 30), dropping the land line all together is a tough one for all the reasons you point out above. However, for the younger generation, (sub 30), it is a no brainer. They stopped using their parents land line years ago for personal calls so as to have privacy, so when they move out on their own, they simply skip land lines all together.

I believe the number in North America is something around 17% of households have no land line. The vast majority of these are in the sub-30 crowd. They can't be bothered by the expense, and as you point out, the only calls coming in would not be for them, but a sales call, as all of their friends have their mobile number.

What this means is as this generation ages, so ages into extinction the land line. It is neither valued nor wanted by this younger generation that sees no need for the extra expense. In addition, as for power outages, do remember that the vast majority of phones in the US are powered by electricity, and when power goes off, so does your ability to make calls...

Ben Smith · 1 year ago

Any chance we could move the boundary for 'old' to, say, 35?

Ewan · 1 year ago

For a fee, Ben, payable quarterly in advance

Mike42 · 1 year ago

I'm paying BT something in the order of £300 a year for the landline bit, plus another £300 for so-called 8MB broadband. That's circa £600.

We receive a decent number of overseas calls, and calling a UK mobile from overseas costs a fortune AFAIK.

Certainly with HSPA and £10 for 1GB, mobile broadband is looking tasty, but it's one dongle-one machine. For an increasing number the proliferation of WiFi-reliant devices in the home will require a USB-powered WiFi solution, or a handset running JoikuSpot to share the WiFi love. Huawei and a few others have tasty wee WiFi router boxes that accept USB modems.

I have a sneaking suspicion that we'd still be better off buying a UK landline number, and having it divert to our mobiles (and obviously paying for it), as well as using a USB-powered WiFi router on a 3GB package from 3. Or maybe buy a local Skype number in our home country for relatives to use, and get a 3 Skype phone at £10/month.

I think 3UK are missing an opportunity here to bundle this sort of stuff into a consumer-friendly 'look no wires' comms package. Unlimited national calls, fair-use unlimited broadband, unlimited Skype. I'd do a direct debit of £30/month for that!

Geoff Wright · 1 year ago

I don't have a landline.

Ewan · 1 year ago

Me either!

Ricky Chotai · 1 year ago

neither do I at uni, I do however have a VOIP line!

Steve Johns · 1 year ago

Its now being offered in Australia. About frigin time!!!! The plans are not exactly cheap but still cheaper than paying for a phone line and calls!!! (see AU plans here. http://broadbandguide.com.au/naked-dsl/plans )