Discussion of the Day
Home phones are unnecessary!
30-Jul-20
I don't understand why people still have home phones in 2020? I gave up mine decades ago. Dealing with my cell phone is enough. Without having to deal with a home phone too. It makes no sense
Comments
  • It does if you don’t have the money to be paying for local calls on top of every other expense. As a person also required to service a high rent I’m not about to be homeless for the sake of image. That definitely makes no sense,
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    • I believe I am an oddity .. I do have a mobile phone only for travelling emergencies and to advise family when we have arrived /departed etc... I have the best computer, top cameras, sentimental watch , suitable televisions, board games, writing sets, bookcase of every topic I need, radios, barometer / commonsense for weather forecasts, road map and ability to read it etc,etc ... I definitely do not need replicas on my mobile phone. I am not so important that I need to hold a mobile phone in my hand wherever I go, just waiting for someone to call me - nor do I need to be phoning anyone else who may be free... I am contactable when I am home. My home phone is for receiving and making phone calls in the comfort of my home where I am relaxed and can give time, thought and ears to friends and family.
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      • In an major emergency (earthquake, etc) mobile services can be overwhelmed. It is recommended in those situations to use landlines. I have a mobile phone, but it's only for emergencies when I'm out (that, and everything including WINZ, expect you to have a mobile phone). If, I'm home, the mobile is turned off. If someone wants to contact me, I prefer they use the landline.
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        • Say that to some people who don't get mobile coverage.
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          • get the landline free with the internet provider. Handy if you lose your phone around the house and need to find it.
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            • I like to have a land line for the just in case calls. Because I can guarantee that this won't be occupied by the kids or grandkids all day long, because they don't know how it works.
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              • Agree
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                • Landlines may keep going during power cuts as Peter M points out but if your landline is connected through the NBN and you have a power cut, you can't use the landline as it's (or mine is anyway) connected to the modem, which in turn is connected to the power. So that's a drawback for landlines connected through NBN.
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                  • for work its essential
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                    • Landlines keep going during power cuts.
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                      • My home phone is free with my internet so why wouldn't I have it. I can phone inter and intrastate for nothing too. My mobile is only for emergencies.
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                        • they are unnecessary we only have mobiles ,why pay for both. such an expence.
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                          • with no mobile reception on our rural property we depend on our landline.
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                            • I use my home phone to speak with my elderly friends and relatives.
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                              • I use our home phone quite often as my mother in law in her late 90s can’t handle a mobile phone so it necessary as well as it costs me $5 a month,free calls to mobiles & interstate calls,love it
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                                • I still have a landline and i don't have to worry about charging it
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                                  • Agree but mine came with my ISP too but hardly used anymore.
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                                    • It is true the landline comes with the package in the NBN era but they did not tell you that every call to 1300 number will be charged that is why I cancelled the landline, all banks and essential services have1300 number
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                                    • I just got the NBN on and it is as slow as the previous system and to top it off it took 6 hours for them to put the cable through as the guy dilly dallied for around 4 hours before he decided he should do it that way. To top that off I have no phone as apparently it has to be reconfigured by them and that has not been done either so I have been without a phone for a week. I cannot get in contact with them as I only have a pre paid mobile and hanging on waiting for someone to answer would use up probably around $50. I cannot log into my account as that also has stopped working. My son rang them but because he is not listed as authorised they would not discuss it with him. How ridiculous. I am in my 70's and isolating so have no way of communicating with them. 1300 and 13 numbers (i.e. banks) are all charged. And for the pleasure of all the above it is costing me $25 more than I used to pay. Not impressed.
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                                  • I have a mobile and VOIP which I use a lot. VOIP calls are free on my NBN plan so why pay. I have a mobile plan which I paid a one off payment years ago which lasts for my lifetime. All I pay for is calls and sms. average $5 a month. I'm happy with what I have.
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                                    • Disagree home phone are useful to keep in touch with friends?
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                                      • Because maybe not everyone wants to always be contactable and anyway, from experience, people always tell you "Call me anythime, heres my mobile number" and then whe you do try to call them they never bother to answer and though they might ask you to leave a message they are so self-engrossed, so selfish, so Bad-Mannered that they Never return your call - and that includes the times when they have actualy asked you to call them "Please call me tomorrow and let me know etc....". When you eventually manage to contact them they simply say "Oh, Yes, I saw you had called me"! If you ask them why they did not call you back they tell you "Well I was busy". Of course no-one other than these rude, bad-mannered oafs are ever busy, are they?
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                                        • I have a mobile phone only no house phone im with Optus the Sim only plan
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                                          • I would love to see society not so obsessed by mobile phones, and would love to keep landlines at least they don't go out of range all the time.
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                                            • Couldn't give up my home phone. How would Michelle from the NBN be able to contact me on a regular basis to advise that my land line will be cut off in 24 hours. Poor kid would be out of a job.
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                                              • Haha
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                                              • Yeah I was getting that also. However, my area is getting cut off first week in October so no choice. Remember when Telstra went down a year or so ago and no one could ring 000 or anything and they said use the land line. Mmmm had been shut down so not possible. This is what is going to happen in the future more often.
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                                            • good to have a choice but i’m happy with just my mobile can answer anytime anywhere don’t have to come home to the jolly answer machine
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                                              • have you given ANY consideration to all those people who for some reason are unable, or to old, to be able to use one. a bit selfish in opinion
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                                                • STILL GOOD FOR DEAF PEOPLE
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                                                  • I use a mobile and we also have a landline because it is better and cheaper to ring family who live in other states.
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                                                    • You can get deals where national and local calls are free.
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                                                  • I agree
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                                                    • Yes, we just got rid of ours and the NBN, I use the personal hotspot on my phone, instead. Our circumstances have changed, our income has dropped about 20%, so I had to cut the budget to the bone. The NBN is too expensive, us Aussies get ripped off, big time, the internet overseas is so much cheaper. First time I have had my own mobile, we used to share, a dear friend gave me her old iPhone 7, new screen for $100, signed up with Boost, for 1 year, $200, 150gb all calls and texts included, I don't download or upload, google searches, shopping and surveys, the most economical for me. Refurbished MacBook Air, 2014 model for $400 eBay, so I am well set up, for a fraction of the cost, Boost is the only provider that is full Telstra, great for travelling in remote areas, without the prices that Telstra charges.
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                                                      • As I do not own a mobile phone my land line is essential. I can't understand the reason people have to have a phone stuck to their ears. Surely that gossip/news could wait until they got home
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                                                        • Yes as I am in my 70's we managed without having a phone attached to us.
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                                                      • I’ll never get rid of my landline even though you only get telemarketing calls on it, it’s great to be able to use and talk on it when you have a long convo and don’t want the radiation of a mobile/cell unfortunately my handset batteries have had it at present and ironically won’t charge but going to get a new handset soon
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                                                        • Hope the NBN does not go through your area as then you will not have a choice but to shut down the landline but you can still keep the phones as long as they remember to calibrate if for you.
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                                                        • I already have the nbn have for years and have the landline actually it’s connected to the phone we need it for their modem
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                                                      • People who do not have home phones are unnecessary...being permanently contactable, by anyone, 24 hours a day is my definition of hell
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                                                        • I don't have to worry about losing reception and having to turn the phone of and waiting for it to come back on line, my husbands hearing is really bad and he can't hear hardly anything on the call phone even with the volume as high as it will go. I refuse to be attached to the cell phone.
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                                                          • I have both I find it easier to hear on my home phone ..... must be going deaf ??
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                                                            • I too have both
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                                                              • Still use home phone as easier than having to find peoples mobile. To many people lose them or have them stolen.
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                                                                • I have a home phone to call my parents and ring other landlines. Handy to have.
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                                                                  • I can hear better on my home phone and it is cheaper to contact other people with home phones than to ring mobiles.
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                                                                    • I still have one and use it regualarly
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                                                                      • the only people calling to my home phone are telemarketers and scammers
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                                                                        • As it is part of my bundle, I still have a home phone, but it is really only for telemarketers, scammers and my poor old Dad. Dad will ring my mobile secondly if I don't answer the home phone, so there is really no need for it.
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                                                                          • I have both
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                                                                            • I still have a landline but only because it comes free with the internet so figured I may as well have it.
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                                                                              • It depends, home phones are useful if you lose your reception on the phone or have no credit to use. Some people also hate mobile phones and don't have one. Some live in areas with crap reception so need the home phone. You should have a more open mind and think about why some people still have a home phone. I only have a mobile phone with credit that lasts a year because I don't even use it. I have an easier time using the internet to keep in touch but my phone is there when I'm out and need to call or message someone... still rare for me though :)
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                                                                                • I don't have or want a mobile; happy with home phone
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                                                                                  • I have no cell phone, that is what is wrong with a lot of people, I have my landline phone
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                                                                                    • My home phone is a little dusty but still works.
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                                                                                      • Who cares
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                                                                                        • I have both. That way you have an option if the mobile isn't working.
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                                                                                          • Yes it does make sense - not everyone has mobile phones. They are frightening to some people. Our home phone does not get used a lot, but it is still here if we need it.
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                                                                                            • I have one for my elderly relatives who refuse to call cell phones. It's also handy as where I live loses reliable cell reception during storms
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                                                                                              • agree, but my mum being stubborn refuses to call anything but a landline. I have it on only for her (and all the Indian scammers from Telstra of course)
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                                                                                                • Old tech but very reliable in case of emergency
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                                                                                                  • still have it great deal with telco use if needed
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                                                                                                    • Good to keep just in case.
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                                                                                                      • We kept our landline until my Mum passed away as she lived in a Nursing home interstate then we didn't need it.
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                                                                                                        • Years ago I had a prowler tried to get half of my bedroom windows open when my ex husband was on night shift, thank goodness we had a home phone to ring the police
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                                                                                                          • Agree
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                                                                                                            • I agree with you Johana C
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                                                                                                              • We live in Caloundra Qld and need a home phone as mobile coverage is non existent unless you go right up the backyard. This is the highest point on our property
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                                                                                                                • Not needed, but came with the internet connection.
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                                                                                                                  • Although I am one of those who still have a home phone I agree they aren't really needed. We have so that we have a stronger internet connection
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                                                                                                                    • We never use ours but receive calls from our elderly friends. Since it does not cost us anything to have, unless we make calls, we are keeping it
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                                                                                                                      • I have both I like my home phone
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                                                                                                                        • It has become a relic but the older generations are more comfortable with it.
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                                                                                                                          • need one since my spouse is disabled
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                                                                                                                            • I have both use the mobile when I’m not home as it is only for emergencies and the home phone is used as well
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                                                                                                                              • Environmentalist home phone is not harmful
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                                                                                                                                • could not be without home phone , don't use mobiles
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                                                                                                                                  • have not had a home phone for over 10 years
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                                                                                                                                    • Agree to disagree that is the question. Could use it as a way to communicate with the outside world if it is possible. OR NOT?
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                                                                                                                                      • many people as they get older find that using cell phones is problematic Home phones that are also portable at home make reasonable sense
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                                                                                                                                        • My parents have home phone theyre in their 80,s dad cant use mobil
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                                                                                                                                          • I find mine necessary!!!!!!
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                                                                                                                                            • No I think they can be really handy at times, I would prefer having one being home most of the time. Mobiles are optional and I barely use mine. But having a little baby who is becoming more aware about people and interactions, it's sad for her to see a lack of it in society where people only stare at a screen and no longer make eye contact. Very disturbing.
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                                                                                                                                              • RUBBISH A LOT OF OUR FRIENDS ARE OLDER AUSTRALIANS AND ARE USED TO LANDLINE PHONES. MOST OF THOSE WHO DON'T LIKE LANDLINE PHONES ARE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF THE OLDER AUSTRALIANS.
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                                                                                                                                                • Agree.
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                                                                                                                                              • Some people don't like to spend 100's of dollars of extra cost for something they rarely use
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                                                                                                                                                • You need a back up for your mobile. Either landline or voip. Depends what your more comfortable with. I have landline number because I need to fax once in a while. Some things still can’t be emailed/scanned.
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                                                                                                                                                  • Agreed, but the old landlines were great for calling your phone when you lost it!
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                                                                                                                                                    • Agree and Disagree. Agree that mobiles are often better, but it depends on the network. Some areas are better with Telstra and others are better with Optus, and I've heard nothing but bad things with Vodaphone. LanLines have their pros too. They ring longer thus you have time to answer but mobiles give you enough time to pick up ur phone but not answer. Easier to hear with earphones than without.
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                                                                                                                                                      • I do not like mobile phones and dislike having to take them with me which I don't. I prefer the old land line which I still have as I can hear better on it as well. Perhaps people might remember when Telstra went down and all the mobiles went off and no one could phone 000 or anything and they said why not use the landline - mmm - they had disconnected them from that particular area. No back up when the mobile phones go down. Everyone is getting too complacent with all this technical stuff these days.
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                                                                                                                                                        • Until there is an issue with mobile service! Lol
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                                                                                                                                                          • Home phones are unnecessary - if you have a cell phone! Fortunate, I don't have a cell phone (I use Skype). In my case - I have a home phone!
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