Don’t Get Rid of Your Landline Phone

If you rarely use your landline phone, dropping your service could be tempting. But it may not save as much as you think -- especially if you bundle your phone service with TV and Internet.

Going landline-less means directing business calls -- from your credit card company to your doctor’s office -- to your cell phone, which could increase your monthly wireless bill. Some services, such as security systems, digital video recorders and satellite TV, tap into the phone line; switching to a wireless box or mobile phone could cost you extra. Landlines are still more reliable than their wireless counterparts -- including VoIP service -- particularly during bad weather and home emergencies. Paired with a corded phone (the kind that doesn’t need to be plugged into an electrical outlet), landline service generally continues in a power outage. During an emergency, a landline phone gives 911 dispatchers an exact address, while cell phones give a caller’s geographical coordinates, accurate only to within 50 to 300 meters. That could delay the arrival of emergency services.

To keep the landline but cut costs, price no-frills, local-only serv­ice with your regional phone company as well as smaller competitors. Verizon’s local-only service generally costs less than $15 a month in most areas. Expect taxes and fees to add $5 to $10 to your bill.

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