5 Reasons You Should Stop Paying for a Landline

This post comes from partner site WhistleOut.com.

Cellphones have become a necessity in our lives. They do so much in addition to making calls — and they travel with us. Still, many people are reluctant to give up their landlines even after growing depending on cellphones — which means they are paying for two phones. Does that make sense anymore?

Here are some common reasons why you may be keeping your old home phone — and why you should reconsider.

Reason 1. Making international calls

This used to be a good reason to keep a home phone when it was crazy expensive to make international calls from your cellphone. Not anymore. There are a number of cellphone plans that include free international calls. Carriers like H2O Wireless, Red Pocket Mobile and Gen Mobile, and major carriers like T-Mobile, include unlimited calls to several countries for free! There are even more carriers that include free calls to both Mexico and Canada.

Reason 2. It’s part of a bundle package

Back in the day, it was definitely a good idea to get a bundle package if you wanted internet and TV. In some cases adding a landline to your package actually made your plan cheaper or about the same price, so why not? Now, however, adding a landline to your bundle package is going to cost you a little more each month.

The only reason to keep your current package is if it’s a grandfathered plan and still cheaper than anything else offered by providers today.

Reason 3. It won’t run out of battery

This may be true if you still have an old home phone, but if you have a cordless phone, then it’s still going to run out of battery. In fact, having your cordless phone running out of battery is more inconvenient than if your cellphone runs out of battery. If your cordless phone dies, you have to put it back onto its charger until it gets enough charge to use again. If your cellphone dies, you can plug it in and continue to use it while it’s charging.

Reason 4. I like having an answering machine

Not only is voicemail included in most cellphone plans these days, but you can even get your voicemails transcribed on some plans. Needing something to take messages when you’re unable to answer the phone is no longer a valid reason to keep a home phone. Some cellphones will now also screen your calls for you — so you don’t need an answering machine for that anymore either.

Reason 5. The quality of my landline calls is better

OK, I’ll give you this one. If you live in a remote area where cellphone coverage can be a bit sketchy, your landline will probably be the most reliable form of communication. However, coverage is pretty decent across most of the U.S. now, so it may just be a matter of switching cellphone carriers to get on the right network with the best coverage in your area.

The great thing about cellphone calls these days is that you have the options of Wi-Fi calling and even HD calling now too. If you don’t get the best cell reception at home it’s no longer a big deal, because your calls can utilize your home internet connection via Wi-Fi.

HD voice calling is what it sounds like — calls in high definition. If your phone and carrier are compatible with HD Voice, you’ll notice crystal clear calls with virtually no background noise. This currently will work for you only if both you and the person you’re calling are on the same carrier and both have HD Voice enabled. But as it becomes more available, it will become one more reason for everyone to shed the old landline.

More from WhistleOut.com:

• “The 5 Best Cellphone Deals For June 2019”
• “These Secret Cellphone Plans Can Save You Hundreds”
• “The Easiest Way to Move Your Cellphone Data to a New Phone”