Electronics

[SilleeMee]

Land lines will be around for a while because many people rely on them for their emergency life lines. For example, Medicaid recipients who need life line equipment do not have the option of going wireless which is available at a cost but not paid for by Medicaid. So, until the wireless option for life line systems remains out-of-reach for Medicaid, then land lines will still be here.

[SilleeMee]

@thechedda,

I know what it's like to have my VoIP service interrupted. It happened last year after my house got struck by lightning and my router got damaged . I had to rely on my cell to make and receive calls but I had no way to get emergency notifications via phone because my cell is not registered with the emergency services in my area. I think I better consider doing just that. Thanks for posting that link. It is informative.

[VaBelle35]

re Magic Jack

The the customer service rep for our HOA website uses this and it is awful.  I have an original landline that I call him on (not FIOS or whatever).  And trying to talk to him is like talking under water.  Calling back and trying to get a better connection doesn't help.

My mother used to use some sort of VOIP and I refused to talk to her until she called me on a regular phone line.

[thechedda]

You are most welcome.  I think a lot of folks are under the assumption that VOIP works just the same as a landline. 

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@SilleeMee wrote:

@thechedda,

I know what it's like to have my VoIP service interrupted. It happened last year after my house got struck by lightning and my router got damaged . I had to rely on my cell to make and receive calls but I had no way to get emergency notifications via phone because my cell is not registered with the emergency services in my area. I think I better consider doing just that. Thanks for posting that link. It is informative.

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[151949]

We have camped with folks who are snowbirds and use magic jack so they have phone service in their camper. They were very satisfied with it. We had good reception on our Tracfone cell phones at the campground so we just used those but  many other folks complained all the time about lack of cell signal. Ironically , they usually had very expensive i phones & service but we were doing great with our $100 tracfones.

[Deree]

Well I finally did it.  I dropped my cable tv and it will be gone in a few days at the end of my billing cycle.  I'm still keeping internet and land line at a modest increase from TWC which is now ugh! Spectrum.  I spent countless hours over the past week calling and re-calling until I found a half way intelligent representative who was able to give me additional discounting on a promotional price. This is for the next year only. Then I'll see what to do.

My plan is to hook up the antenna I purchased later today to see if I can get all the local networks.  If I do I'll be satisfied with that.  Not ecstatic but satisfied. It will be like going back to the 1960's!  If I don't receive enough channels with the antenna I will stream Sling TV. I just found out in my phone calls to Spectrum that my modem is a combination modem/router so I won't have to buy a router now just a Roku stick if I choose to go the streaming route.

All this is new for me. Wish me luck!