What's cheapest landline for anytime calls?

Gobsh

What's cheapest landline for anytime calls?

My mum doesn't use internet but wants a landline with anytime calls. They all seem about £35 a month. Any ideas

jbrassy

Couldn't she just get a cheap Nokia mobile phone with SIM card? There are lots of cheap SIM cards with unlimited calls.

Alderbank

Any new landline now will actually be an internet connection with boxes in her house to convert the signal to work with her plug-in phone.

Might be time to get her a mobile phone? Unlimited anytime calls to all UK numbers cost less than a fiver (MSE's current sim only best deal works out at £3.23 a month) with the bonus that she has the phone with her whenever she goes out.

iniltous

https://www.bt.com/help/landline/learn-about-home-phone-saver-2020

For people that don’t have broadband from any provider not just BT , but anyone including Virgin or Alternative Networks.

Could be interesting ( difficult )  to arrange this , as  the PSTN switch off means the old  ( legacy ) phone network is unavailable, as BT telephony  is now IP ( Digital voice ) so needs broadband to deliver it , so presumably in the background ‘broadband’ needs to be provided for DV to work …could be worth giving them a call about it though 

Gobsh

Not sure about the whole "must have internet to receive calls" thing becaut she currently has a conventional phone plugged into a conventional phone socket with router still in its box

J_B

Us country bumpkins can't get fibre internet. We cancelled our ADSL with Plusnet and switched to BT who we pay sub £25 for ...

Line rental

Caller ID

Voicemail with call protect

700 minute calling plan (to landline or mob)

iniltous

Gobsh said:

Not sure about the whole "must have internet to receive calls" thing becaut she currently has a conventional phone plugged into a conventional phone socket with router still in its box

by the end of January 2027 , and for most much earlier than that , the current telephone network is being retired and replaced by an all IP ( internet protocol ) network, and as that name suggests, IP needs ‘broadband’ , those not already moved to to this new network will be , millions are already on it , customers with broadband are those being moved currently, eventually even those with just telephone and no broadband will also be moved …..the point though is moving provider looking for a better deal will also result in being on IP telephone as the legacy PSTN network is closed for new customers, so if your relative doesn’t want to be moved they would need to stay with whoever they are currently with and even then will be moved before Jan 2027 

presumably you have missed all the information and news articles about the PSTN switch off 

400ixl

Future services of Digital Voice (VOIP) post the PSTN shutdown will still be available without buying a Broadband service. Broadband is the generic term for non voice internet services. Whilst they share the same infrastructure they can and will still be able to be bought a separate or combined services, just as they are today.

So the OP is correct that you do not have to have broadband to have voice services now or in the future.

Price wise though it can often make little or no difference to cost to have both (especially if taking an inclusive calls package).

twopenny

I asked about this as I moved to a cul de sac where a number of people relied on landlines.

I was assured they would be accommodated simply and not need broadband.

When it comes to it I'm not sure what the pressure will be but there will be a lot of people wanting just a landline. not only - but a lot of pensioners who can't afford the broadband prices.

littleboo

The point is, for landline only users, the fact there is broadband underlying the service is invisible to them (apart from a router in their house). A low bandwidth broadband connection is bundled with their service.They don't need to know how it works because it's all done behind the scenes.

iniltous

400ixl said:

Future services of Digital Voice (VOIP) post the PSTN shutdown will still be available without buying a Broadband service. Broadband is the generic term for non voice internet services. Whilst they share the same infrastructure they can and will still be able to be bought a separate or combined services, just as they are today.

So the OP is correct that you do not have to have broadband to have voice services now or in the future.

Price wise though it can often make little or no difference to cost to have both (especially if taking an inclusive calls package).

 When PSTN is ended , so is not available, it’s undeniable that IP telephony requires broadband , the end user may be unaware they have it , and for telephony only customers , provided in the background, either by the end user being supplied with a mains powered ‘box’ that they plug their phone into , or a ATA supplied and located within somewhere other than the customers property ( and the broadband connection made there ) so the end users experience is the same as before  .

I never said anyone needs to ‘buy’  broadband for telephony, just that they will have it wether they or you recognise that fact , 

They may not pay for broadband but will have it , which makes your comments plain wrong .