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View Poll Results: What kind of telephones do you use?

Voters
14. You may not vote on this poll
  • One land line only (no cell phone)

    1 7.14%
  • Multiple land lines in one home

    0 0%
  • Land line and cell phone

    5 35.71%
  • Cell phone only

    8 57.14%
  • Land line and separate fax line

    0 0%
  • Cell phone plus dedicated land line for fax

    0 0%
Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Telephones -- who uses what?

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    2nd June 2004
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    Terra
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    Telephones -- who uses what?

    I just became aware of a (new?) scam involving Craigs List and Google Voice. All uncharted territory for me, but it started me wondering. In my late wife's native country, even ten years ago very few people had a land line telephone in the house, but EVERYONE had a cell phone. I knew a lot of people in the U.S. then who still had land lines, but I'm curious how much that may have changed. I'd like to get some idea of how many people have dropped landlines entirely and rely completely on cell phones for telephonic communications.
    Hawkmoon
    On a good day, can hit the broad side of a barn ... from the inside
    Likes (1) :
    Rick McC. (23rd June 2020)


  2. #2
    Join Date
    2nd October 2006
    Location
    Weeki Wachee, Fl
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    We have a land line and two cell phones.

    My son and his wife have two cells only.

    My neighbors across the canal dropped their land line a couple of years ago, and have cell phones only.
    "Sights are for the unenlightened."

    Rick

    IDPA Certified Safety Officer
    Last edited by Rick McC.; 23rd June 2020 at 21:44.


  3. #3
    Join Date
    4th June 2004
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    Most friends overseas have cell phones only. The land line infrastructure so old/bad most places and so many "pirates" illegally tapped into the land line system it makes them almost worthless.

    Most of my younger relatives here in the US have cell phones only.

    My wife and I have cell phones only now. On our last move the new land line phone number assigned to us was previously used by someone who neglected to pay any of their bills. After a month or so of collection calls looking for that person we dropped the land line. Collection agencies have some rather "interesting" ways of communicating if they think you might know the whereabouts of the person who owes them money.
    Last edited by Doran; 24th June 2020 at 02:56.


  4. #4
    Join Date
    21st September 2008
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    Here we have cellphones and a landline, but the only practical use for the latter is that it comes with an internet connection, since other ways to get internet (i.e. without a landline) aren't practical.

    We have a fax/copier connected to it, but really it's just because we already had one, mostly for photocopying use, and we happened to place it in a convenient place for it to be connected to the outside world, as a fax. I can't remember the last time I faxed something--or received one.

    So I wasn't sure if I should tick the option of having "Cell phone plus dedicated land line for fax" or "Land line and cell phone". I chose the latter, since the fax's existence is incidental and since we do make phonecalls using the line -- for all of maybe half a dozen times a year.

    EDIT: I thought I'd go and check: actually the phone/fax cable is NOT connected to the fax/copier, even though the line is right next to it... probably because it makes too much noise when it rings (on the few occasions when the landline DOES ring). So I guess my choice in the poll was correct.

    Incredibly, some forms we occasionally have to fill do still require putting down a home phone number -- although saying: "Do you mind if I just fill in my cell there? I never hear the other one" almost always receives the response "Sure, whatever we can use to reach you". So it's not so much a requirement, it's more to do with people/authorities neglecting to update their forms.

    Quote Originally Posted by Doran View Post
    On our last move the new land line phone number assigned to us was previously used by someone who neglected to pay any of their bills. After a month or so of collection calls looking for that person we dropped the land line. Collection agencies have some rather "interesting" ways of communicating if they think you might know the whereabouts of the person who owes them money.
    We had a different problem when we moved here (about 10 years ago): apparently our assigned number previously belonged to a nearby business (now closed), selling marble and granite! Crucially, our new number was their old FAX number.

    It was many years before the last "advertorial" faxes ceased to come in. That might be why we disconnected the fax, actually.
    Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.
    M. Setter
    Last edited by Spyros; 25th June 2020 at 02:22.


  5. #5
    Join Date
    4th June 2004
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    The collection agencies contacting us claimed to be "long lost relatives" of, friends of, neighbors of, old high school classmates of, etc, the deadbeat. One called my wife claiming to be a close by neighbor with important information she needed to tell the deadbeat. My wife asked her if she was our neighbor to the west? The woman said, "Yes, I am!!!" My wife told her, "Well, since the land west of our house is a pasture that means you must be a cow."
    Likes (1) :
    Spyros (25th June 2020)


  6. #6
    Join Date
    21st September 2008
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    How creative of them!
    Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.
    M. Setter

  7. #7
    Join Date
    16th May 2011
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    My Wife and O have cell phones only.

    The landline is a dry loop for the internet.

    The cost of the landline, satellite TV and cellphone was getting ridiculous, so off went the landline, per say, and the satellite.
    MFWIC
    DILLIGAF
    Stercus Accidit
    WTFDTSG

  8. #8
    Join Date
    3rd September 2018
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    Modesto, Ca.
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    One aspect of cell phones that many don't know about is that in an emergency, such as a school shooting everybody gets on their cell phones, which ties up all the circuits. Law Enforcement agencies, including the one I have since retired from had to purchase a few satellite phones for deployment in such circumstances. We were told those satellite phones were expensive in terms of billing for airtime used, so they were ONLY for such critical incidents.

    Those of us who only have a cell phone should be aware that there may be a moment such as a firestorm, earthquake or flood when we won't be able to get through for several hours.
    i sold all my handguns. . . . . . . . . . except for the 1911 style pistols in .45 ACP.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    21st September 2008
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    Quote Originally Posted by MuyModesto View Post
    One aspect of cell phones that many don't know about is that in an emergency, such as a school shooting everybody gets on their cell phones, which ties up all the circuits. Law Enforcement agencies, including the one I have since retired from had to purchase a few satellite phones for deployment in such circumstances. We were told those satellite phones were expensive in terms of billing for airtime used, so they were ONLY for such critical incidents.

    Those of us who only have a cell phone should be aware that there may be a moment such as a firestorm, earthquake or flood when we won't be able to get through for several hours.
    A good way to see if your area could potentially get overwhelmed in such an emergency, is to see if you can call someone (locally) from about a minute into the new year and for the following 15-20 minutes. If you can't, don't expect to be able to do it in an emergency either.
    Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.
    M. Setter

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