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ToniS570313
ToniS570313
Contributor ⭐⭐
September 7, 2021

Landline Phone Service Options

  • September 7, 2021
  • 20 replies
  • 40617 views

My landline phone service with AT&T continues to increase - apparently due to copper wire.  At any rate, trying to find out what landline phone service others are using.  I call out of state often so I need a service with unlimited out-of-state calling option.  Thanks.

    20 replies

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    LaurajW510385
    Contributor ⭐⭐
    September 7, 2021

    In addition to the Tags:

     

    Spectrum, Verizon and Xfinity

    There is also Lifeline landline service.

     

    Stay Healthy!!!

    D
    dax212
    Contributor ⭐
    May 1, 2023

    Consumer Cellular has a "home phone base" for about $50 to use like a landline on their network.  Only $15/mo extra line charge, and they will port over your current landline number.

      Tempest332
      Tempest332
      Community Champion ⭐
      May 1, 2023

      AT&T had something similar at least up till 2021 for $19.99.   It was basically a Cellular base you plugged into a phone jack that converted your home wiring into a single cell phone. 

       

      As the OP stated cost increases (mine was forever increasing I went to a VOIP), Why would the price of copper be raising the price of a Landline, the infrastructure is already there.  The real reason for increase was higher profits & the fact they really wanted customers to cancel their land lines.   

      nctarheel
      nctarheel
      Community Champion ⭐
      September 8, 2021

      Windstream.

        S
        sc10
        Conversationalist ⭐
        September 14, 2021

        I have Ooma voip service for over 10 years and it has been working very well. What you need is broadband internet service and your calls are made through internet. The basic service will give you free calls to 50 states and Porto Rico. The monthly fee are taxes and 911 fees. It depends on where you live and I pay less than $6 a month. You can also install an app on your cell phone and make calls to US from anywhere in the world when you have internet. Hardware wise you need an Ooma box that connects to your home wifi or with an ethernet cable. You can connect a cordless phone system to cover your whole house. Or you can isolate the house phone wiring from the existing AT&T  system and back feed the Ooma system to a wall jack to connect to to whole house. You can get the Ooma box from Amazon, Best Buy. Occasionally from Costco for $70 that includes a handset also.

        M
        MariluT936653
        Contributor ⭐
        November 4, 2022

        'Thanks for this information. I'm a Senior, been on Consumer Cellular since 2015 with few problems; now my spouse has dementia, can't remember how to use the flip phone o (no way he could understand an Android) and has lost his 2nd flip in the past 18 months. I've dropped his line on the account since I cannot find the phone; it goes straight to vm when I call, so it's either lost, dead or ??. What I'm asking for is a home/land line that he could use to call emergencies or me if I happened (not likely) to be out away from him or for me to call and check on him with the caregiver/nurse. Sounds like the VOip might work, but I need to stay with a tight budget. Suggestions and advise greatly desired and appreciated. Daisy

        M
        Mike7SoCal
        Contributor ⭐⭐
        January 28, 2022

        We have Frontier copper-wire, but they are not signing up any new customers, and we are looking at switching to fiber/VOIP.  The Frontier (formerly Verizon/GTE) copper wire network is slowly deteriorating in our area and has become less reliable.

          S
          sc10
          Conversationalist ⭐
          January 29, 2022

          If you have internet, trying VOIP is quite easy. All you need is a free Google Voice number and a Google Voice adapter. The adapter has a power brick, ethernet input port and phone output port. You can use your existing corded or cordless phone with the phone jack. With Google Voice, you can call US and Canada for free.Install the Google Voice app in you cell phone, you can do text messages and voice calls from that too.

            S
            ss11943859
            Contributor ⭐⭐
            February 5, 2022

            I really want to get away from Spectrum-too costly ! I have a Captioned phone, two landlines, no cell.Since i'm not a geek, I have trouble figuring out a combo of phone, internet, & t.v. that won't break the bank.Any suggestions would be appreciated !

            Sandee2
              A
              ad50834513
              Contributor ⭐
              July 26, 2022

              I'm looking too. I want a real landline as a redundancy since I live in earthquake country. The nearby cell tower could easily be taken out. On the other hand while visiting elsewhere, I went through a thunderstorm that fried the home internet connection and VOIP with it so I'm not interested in revisiting that scenario. 

               

                B
                bg17175219
                Contributor ⭐
                September 22, 2022

                The iphone 14 has satellite capabilites.

                 

                There realy are no options for landline except verizon or at&t I believe. 

                F
                f511163a
                Contributor ⭐
                May 31, 2023
                Now might be a good time to consider switching to a cell phone.
                There are a lot of affordable phone plans, some with prepaid minutes, and also post paid cell services where you pay for services you plan to use. Either way, maybe look into Lively's JitterBug Flip Phone, or Consumer Cellular's Link ll.
                C
                CliffBRDog
                Contributor ⭐
                March 19, 2025

                I just got an email from AT&T pitching what they call "AT&T PHONE — ADVANCED". It appears to be a VOIP box that hooks to your wired internet. You plug your landline phone into it and your phone should work as it always has. The box has a battery backup to keep the box going in a power outage. And if your wired internet goes down, it will fallback to AT&T's wireless cell network. It also has E911 support so responders will know your location if you call for an emergency.

                 

                I'm still on a landline and am taking a serious look at this. I'm thinking about the various scenarios that have me clinging 😁 to my landline and this setup comes as close as any to addressing all of them.

                 

                They're selling the package for $1 (a $188 value! 😜). Monthly is $45 + taxes and includes unlimited long distance. Will check out Ooma and the other options mentioned here but leaning to pushing the button on this.

                L
                Lumaneta
                Contributor ⭐⭐
                June 21, 2026

                If you want to keep a home phone number, the easiest way to think about it is that there are really only 3 buckets now: a fading traditional landline, an internet-based home phone, or a cellular home-phone base that lets you plug in a regular handset.

                What matters most is not the brand first. It is what has to keep working.

                I would compare each option on these 4 points:

                • Can you keep your current number?
                • Does it still work if the power goes out?
                • Does it still work if the internet goes out?
                • What is the real monthly total after taxes, equipment, and 911 fees?

                If emergency reliability is the main concern, ask specifically about battery backup and whether 911 location still works correctly. If budget is the main concern, the internet-based and cellular-base options are often cheaper than old copper lines, but they are usually more dependent on power and equipment.

                One practical rule: do not cancel the old line until the new one is installed, tested, and you have made a few real calls on it.

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