According to a recent report by the CDC, 17% percent of consumers no longer have a landline telephone choosing to only use cellular telephone service. While a cellular phone may be acceptable most of the time, there are occasions when keeping a landline makes sense.
If your power goes out – If you lose power for more than a day, not an odd occurrence in many parts of the country with tornadoes, blizzards and other extreme weather patterns, your main sources of communication are likely to be unusable. Cell phones and computer devices will run through their batteries rather quickly and once the batteries die, you may be left without a way to communicate to the outside world.
A simple landline accessed with a corded phone will remain reliable without electricity. When emergency situations take place, it’s also possible for cell towers to become overwhelmed and unable to place calls. This is especially true in areas that are highly populated or have very few (maybe even only one) towers around.
If you don’t get cell reception in your kitchen or bathroom – If you choose to only use a cell phone, make sure that every area in your home has cell service. Should you be injured in your home and unable to move to an area with better cell service, it could severely decrease your chances of receiving timely help.
On a related note, it was customary to have multiple phones spread around the home. Given that most cell phone users only use one device, it’s important to make sure that your mobile device is nearby when in accident prone areas including the kitchen and bathrooms.
If you leave a dependent at home for any length of time – If you have kids or elderly persons who are left alone for any period of time, it’s a good idea to have a land line. Children aren’t known for their sense of innate responsibility and with their heavy usage patterns they can easily drain a cell phone battery. Having a landline means that even if their cell phone is no longer usable, they can reach you or other emergency contacts if needed.
If you have any questions about adding landline services, you can contact our Customer Response Center at 1-888-343-8014.