Do I need a land line?

FiestaRed

I’ve just had my Broadband renewal quote from EE. Again, it’s gone up quite a bit for the same service.

With EE I have Broadband and a land line. The land line seems to add quite a bit to the cost of my Broadband and I’m not really sure I need it. I do have my GiffGaff mobile and never use any ‘minutes’. Would I be able to let people contact me through the mobile and do I really need a land line.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

QrizB

How often do people (not spam calls) phone you on your landline?

Could you get all your contacts to change to calling your mobile?

Do you have good, reliable mobile coverage?

Exodi

I'd be careful with terminology here, some people use broadband to refer to the older ADSL copper line connections and fibre to refer to newer fibre-optic lines. Some people use broadband to refer to both.

With that out of the way, if you have fibre broadband, you do not need a landline (there are some exceptions for non-fibre suppliers, but I note you are with EE so they are not relevant).

FiestaRed

Would I be able to let people contact me through the mobile and do I really need a land line.

That's a question for you, can you update your phone number with all your contacts?

I suspect you don't need a landline, most people don't have one.

Niv

Pretty much only reason I have a landline is due to being in a village with poor mobile coverage and want to make sure I am contactable if the school rings for an issue with the little one otherwise I wouldn't bother with it. I don't think anyone else regularly contacts us on the landline other than maybe the GP occasionally.

FiestaRed

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81982535#Comment_81982535

I've not got fibre although Virgin installed connection boxes on the pavement up and down my street.

flaneurs_lobster

What broadband/landline service are you being offered at what cost?

You need to confirm what the reduction in price will be if you remove the landline provision.

If you have a good mobile signal and are happy to use the mobile phone for all your calls then there is no real reason to be paying for the landline.

Exodi

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81982540#Comment_81982540

In that case, you have no choice but to pay line rental, as the copper line also supplies your broadband connection. You may be able to reduce cost if you pay for any addon phone packages (like calls or minutes), but not the line rental itself.

You should look at fibre broadband. Not only is it significantly faster (and you may even find it cheaper as ADSL is considered outdated at this point), but there's a push to phase out traditional landlines by January 2027 (replacing landline calls with VoIP).

FiestaRed

Thanks for the reply.

I get pretty good coverage on my mobile and, apart from spam, maybe a couple of calls a month. Some of the packages I've looked at on MSE mention "no calls" or "no land line" and I'm not really sure what that means.

TadleyBaggie

When I switched to full fibre 2 years ago, I let the landline go. The only issue was working out who still used the old number as out primary contact.

oldernonethewiser

I haven't had a landline or VOIP phone for years.

Having Wifi calling, which I believe Giffgaff offer, is a real bonus.

Exodi

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81982551#Comment_81982551

It means it doesn't come with a landline, so you'd lose your 01XXX XXXXXX number. You'd make all your calls on your mobile phone, the landline phone would go in the bin. This is what most people do nowadays.

But as above, you will find this is only reallly an option for fibre broadband packages (as they run on fibre instead of OR's copper lines) or very specific suppliers (e.g. Virgin, as they use their one coaxial lines instead of OR's copper lines). If you continue using non-fibre broadband (ADSL) you're forced to pay line rental as the broadband uses OR's copper lines to function.

(OR = Open Reach)

There's also a big push to get everyone moved over to fibre, with traditional landline planned to be phased out by Jan 2027.

FWIW, I didn't have fibre to the premises when I signed up for my fibre package, they connected me.