More and more people are using mobile phones as their primary source of communication and some are not bothering with a home phone at all - I am one of those people; since moving into this house a few years ago we've never got around to buying a home phone, but are we missing out?
We've coped without a home phone, but I have missed it on quite a few occasions, and I do feel it would be better if I pulled my finger out and brought one. But do we need one? Is there a benefit to having a home phone?
The simple answer is yes.
It's because a landline is more reliable than that of the mobile phone. You don't have to worry about getting a signal, finding the right spot to get a good signal or it won't drop calls half-way through a conversation.
Then there is the cost of calls, landlines can be cheaper to use, i.e. Some mobile phone providers charge you to call the free 0800 numbers (my bugbear). Also home phones offer voicemail for free, whereas my mobile phone provider charges me for each and every voicemail message I listen to.
Then there is misplacing your mobile phone, I am guilty here, I am always losing my mobile phone, either the kids took it off to play a game on it, and I can't find it, or it falls out of my pocket down the back of the sofa. And I always lose it when I need it the most. With your home phone, this generally won't happen - the kids won't be 'borrowing' it to never return.
They don't run out of batteries, where my old iPhone wouldn't last half a day before it died out.
I am already paying for a landline, so why are we not using home phones? Thinking about it, having a home phone is probably sensible and if I do get one it will give me extra piece of mind, i.e. They are generally better during emergencies, and when you may need them the most. They offer flexibility, they are always on (no signal cut outs) and they are more user-friendly as everyone knows how to use a home phone.
This post was written in conjunction with Panasonic.
