Doing without a phone line?

wnoktnwbr

Hi,

Moving into a new apartment and I really don't want to have to deal with having BT set up a phone line because I never use my landline anyway. I have broadband already set up (cable) so I don't need it for broadband either.

Are there are any hidden problems associated with not having a landline? I can't think of any situation where I've needed to have a landline but I'm not 100% sure. Will a bank let me switch my address without a landline?

g_attrill

It's not really needed for anything these days, I wouldn't bother. If you need a landline-like number then get one from a service like sipgate.co.uk and forward it to your mobile, or get a VOIP phone off ebay and connect it up (I use a SPA941, works great but you do need computer knowledge to get them working optimally).

girl_withno_name

I've lived without a landline for the last four years and haven't come across any issues (if a form has landline as a mandatory field then I just put my mobile number in its place)

Out,_Vile_Jelly

I haven't had a landline for five years. My flatmate and I realised the only people who ever used it were our mothers; if they want to phone up and jibber jabber about what the cat's done that morning and how bad Great Aunt Brenda's knee is, they can phone my mobile at their expense.

VfM4meplse

wnoktnwbr wrote: »

Will a bank let me switch my address without a landline?

I don't see that this will be a problem, but I think the security of a mobile might be when discussing specific a/c details.

I would definitely follow g_atrill's suggestion if you plan to receive any business calls....there's still a demographic that don't use mobile phones regularly and will find calling you costly. You may find that you lose business to competitors with landlines and 0800 numbers.

Also, calling non-geographical numbers from mobiles can be extortionately dear.....they tend to be unexpected calls and probably wouldn't justify the cost of line rental.

girl_withno_name

VfM4meplse wrote: »

Also, calling non-geographical numbers from mobiles can be extortionately dear.....they tend to be unexpected calls and probably wouldn't justify the cost of line rental.

I find that this website has help me successfully avoid this issue: http://www.saynoto0870.com/

As for making calls to 0800 numbers - I have the app '0800 wizard' installed on my phone (obviously won't be suitable for people without smartphones... though I can't imagine there are too many of these people left)

sjlou

I remember it being mentioned before that a lack of landline might affect your credit score...

but im not 100%, so worth checking out.

Yorkie1

There are increasing numbers of people who don't have landlines.

I can fully understand why they don't have them.

As someone without a mobile phone contract, and thus free mobile phone minutes, I deeply resent having to pay an exorbitant amount of money just to ring them. Even just leaving a message adds up.

girl_withno_name

Yorkie1 wrote: »

There are increasing numbers of people who don't have landlines.

I can fully understand why they don't have them.

As someone without a mobile phone contract, and thus free mobile phone minutes, I deeply resent having to pay an exorbitant amount of money just to ring them. Even just leaving a message adds up.

Maybe a cheaper option for you would be a mobile phone?

Yorkie1

I have a mobile phone, on pay as you go; I use less than £3 per month on it on texts / calls. I have also had a mobile phone dongle with appalling reception in the past.

If I chose to go landline free then I would have reduced quality broadband coverage, and have to pay a considerable amount more on a phone contract - and on an upgraded phone.

My elderly parents would have to pay considerable amounts of money to ring me from their landline.

As I said, I can understand why people go landline free. I just resent the extra expenditure their decision imposes on others - partly because of the cost of connections to mobiles in this country.

olly300

Yorkie1 wrote: »

I have a mobile phone, on pay as you go; I use less than £3 per month on it on texts / calls. I have also had a mobile phone dongle with appalling reception in the past.

If I chose to go landline free then I would have reduced quality broadband coverage, and have to pay a considerable amount more on a phone contract - and on an upgraded phone.

Lots of people who rent particularly those who live in flat and house shares don't have landlines if they can get broadband without it.

The reason being is the connection charge is very expensive particularly if you don't know whether you are going to be there for longer than 6 months let alone 12 months.

There is also the issue of dividing up the bill.

Also the people who use mobile phones a lot like I do will happily call people back, particularly if they are on a tariff with unlimited or a lot of free minutes to landlines. One of my nephew's use to call and disconnect before you answered it or it went to the answering machine, as he knew me and his parents would call him back if he did that.

If we aren't willing to call you back we don't want to talk to you.