Should You Really Make the Switch from Landline to Mobile?
If you can’t remember the last time you used a landline, you’re probably wondering whether you need to maintain a home phone line at all. Chances are, all your friends and family members call your cell when they need to talk. Plus, if you’re looking for a way to save money, cutting this utility bill can definitely put some extra cash in your pocket.
But while landline telephones are disappearing from many households, there are a few questions to ask yourself before canceling your home service and relying solely on your cell phone.
1. How’s the reception in your home?
If you’re fortunate enough to live near your carrier’s cell tower, you probably have excellent cell phone reception in your home. Regardless of the time or day, your calls would be crystal clear without any dropped calls or interruption in service. The further you live from a tower, however, the more likely you are to have issues with reception. So before canceling your landline, think about the number of times you’ve had spotty service in the recent weeks or months.
Yes, a landline is an added expense, but it’s also useful in an emergency when your cell phone signal isn’t its strongest.
2. Do you have an unlimited phone plan?
Getting rid of your home phone means relying on your cell phone for all telephone communication. To benefit financially, be realistic about the amount of time you spend on the phone each day, week and month, and then compare this with the number of minutes that come with your cell phone plan.
If you use more than the allotted minutes in your plan, you could end up paying a ton in overage charges. Before eliminating your landline, look into the cost of an unlimited phone plan (or a plan with additional minutes) to avoid extra fees.
3. Do you have money in savings to purchase a replacement phone?
If your cell phone dies or breaks after getting rid of your landline, you’ll be without a phone. This will make it difficult to communicate with family, friends, coworkers, etc. Make sure you plan ahead for the possibility of having to buy a replacement phone. Keep cash in savings for this expense.
4. Are you okay sharing your cell phone?
If you don’t have a house phone, ideally everyone in the home should have their own cell phone. Of course, you might not be ready for your children to have their own phones. So if you’re thinking about ditching your landline, consider whether you’re OK with your children using your cell phone from time to time. Likewise, someone visiting your home might need to use your phone. Are you comfortable letting them use your cell?
5. Are you okay losing your landline number?
Canceling a landline service means you’re waving goodbye to a telephone number you’ve had for years. And once this number is gone, you might not get it back.
Even if you rarely use your landline phone, you’ve likely given this number to many people and companies over the years. This includes your insurance companies, your bank, old friends and more. Getting rid of your house number means supplying all your contacts with your cell phone number, which can be time-consuming and inefficient. If you forget to give a company or someone your new number, they can’t contact you in an emergency.
In the end, more and more people are making the switch. Cell phones are more convenient than landlines and can make communicating much easier in nearly every situation – but that doesn’t make it the right choice for everyone.
Consider monthly costs and the ease of the transition before you decide to nix your landline altogether. Once you’ve weighed the pros and cons, you can decide if it’s the right choice for you.