Like many other phone users, Lindsay Woods gave up her landline several years ago and now relies solely on her cellphone. But after the AT&T incident last week,
Power outage, Oregonians are starting to think again.
Woods worried? As a seasoned advertising and marketing professional who runs her own company, she wants to make sure she will always be available to clients. But more importantly, Woods has a medical condition that could require an emergency call at any moment.
Now Woods is thinking about getting a landline again. “I think we've become too dependent on one thing, and I'm definitely guilty of that,” she said.
Woods is probably not alone. We've become a mobile nation: According to the latest government statistics, about 70% of the adult population is completely wireless, meaning they live in homes without a landline. Only about 25% of adults have a mobile phone and a landline.
Communications professionals and experts warn that going without a landline carries risks. And given the often relatively low monthly cost of getting a landline — in some cases, less than $10 — it can be worth spending the money and having this all-important backup.
Keep in mind that the AT&T outage was not the only one of its kind. In fact, there are more than 4,000 network outages per month, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing data from the Federal Communications Commission.
But it's not just about having a backup: a landline offers other benefits. This is true whether you're referring to the traditional wiring system that relies on wires or the modern VoIP technology that provides service over the Internet (think of VoIP as a type of digital landline — and it's usually much cheaper than a traditional landline).
Frequently Cited Issue: A landline can be invaluable not only as an emergency backup line, but also in some emergency scenarios no matter what. This is because when you make a 911 call using a landline, the call center can often determine your location immediately, making it easier to send help immediately. This is not necessarily the case with cell phones.
If you're in a situation where you can't speak loudly and clearly — for example, because of a medical crisis or because there's an intruder in your home — that could be very important in terms of calling emergency personnel to your home, experts point out. .
“Just pick up the phone, and they'll be there in five minutes,” said Tommy Stead, a former communications professional who now heads the BellTel Retirees Association.
This does not mean that landline systems are completely infallible. Your VoIP phone can potentially be affected by an Internet outage, although backup plans are often built into these systems. Also, if you're using a phone that requires electricity — and almost all modern phones, like cordless phones, need electricity — you may be out of luck during a power outage, although a backup battery can solve that problem, at least temporarily.
Some people also point out that a landline phone is simply more reliable in terms of communication and clarity. That is, you don't hear people asking, “Can you hear me now?” As much as.
Although wireless phone networks still dominate the market, at least one VoIP service provider, Ooma OOMA,
It says its user base is growing slightly. Ooma reports that it has about 1 million customers, including residential and commercial customers.
Ooma spokesman Mike Langberg also points out that not everyone lives in an area that has great cell service, either. “That's another reason” to have a landline, he said.
But you don't need to sell Rob Wheat, a resident of Overland Park, Kansas, on your need for a landline.
Wheat, 55, has had one for three decades. Although he now also has a cell phone, he said he didn't want to risk not having any means of communication, as in the case of a wireless connection being cut off.
“I will always have a landline. I will be the last person on Earth to have one,” he said.
