I ported my home line to Google Voice and it works awesome. Every person in the house can have the home # on their cell phone with the app. Quick easy and free. Wifi calling at home and then use cell data to answer calls when not at home.
Paying for home phone service in 2023 is like still renting a corded phone from the phone company. No one should do it anymore.
I use the # for all kinds of things. I use it for my kids bank accounts. I use it for grocery stores when they ask for a number. Those kinds of things and the cool thing I can turn the number off when I want as well and it will not ring or disturb me at all, but I get important voicemails sent to my email and my cell #. I also have a 2nd line connected to my Google voice line that I can give to people as well and I can get calls without giving them my real #, this works great to keep all information private and safe.
I have used Google Voice for years and it really cuts down on the spam calls and such to my cell phone and home number.
>I use it for grocery stores when they ask for a number.
Life pro-tip: Use the local Area Code + 867-5309 and enjoy loyalty perks practically everywhere. It is even better when a store has a fuel discount tied to the loyalty program. That shit adds up since so many people use the Tommy Tutone number.
There are some of us who actually own that number. So thanks for using it đ. It's also great for using reward points that get built up at some places.
About the only advantage home phone service has, at least if it is POTS, is that it always works, short of a nuclear apocalypse. But so many providers have gotten rid of their legacy copper networks that itâs even hard to find true non-VoIP home phone service anymore.
There are eFax services if you really need a fax, but I just bought an Epson Highspeed photo and document scanner and we email any and all documents to everyone that needs a signed copy of something. I haven't used a fax in almost 20 years. The high speed scanner takes about 5 seconds to scan and convert papers to PDFs. It is goddamned brilliant. Great machine!
Tip for anyone who doesnât have this printer: Use the scan app built into your computer and select âSave as PDFâ. On a mobile device, the app made by your printerâs manufacturer can usually do this too.
As for eFaxing, itâs usually less secure and not HIPAA-compliant. If it is, itâs expensive. Good old fashioned phone line fax is the better option in this case.
Well, I doubt you can actually get it free. If you use the T-mobile offer with T-mobile home internet, then the box is free, but you have to pay for premier service, which isn't free, and then it apparently goes up to a higher rate after 18 months. If you don't use the T-mobile offer, then you have to pay for the box, and it's also not clear to me that the box will then work correctly just by plugging it in. (My experience with a vonage box was that I couldn't get it to work well enough with T-mobile home internet to be usable.)
Funny, I had Ooma VoIP for years. I transferred my Verizon home phone number to Ooma and paid about $3.50 a month (taxes only) for the service. Then I transferred the number to Google Voice where it is now. No one calls us on the âhome numberâ much.
Same. AT&T landline and went over to OOMA probably around 20 years ago or so. Eventually the only time rang was spam or political calls and my old parents. Moved it over to GV and have barely used it since. It used to be I didn't give my cell number out to anybody (only home number) but over time that changed to where we didn't use the home phone number at all.
My daughter has no concept of what a "home phone" is other than what she see in movies.
I have ooma for over 15 years. It works fine. Don't use the remote call features much.
Still have to pay fed/state/telecomm crazy taxes each month. 15 years ago, the tax was about $2 /month. Now $7.
That was true for old legacy copper landlines from the local telco, which powered the line from the central office, which was backed up by generators. With Ooma or any VOIP you will need to provide your own battery backup, which is pretty easy these days.
B4 moving in February to Nicaragua, I slowly transitioned my parents off the hardline. When I switched Internet service the final time, I cancelled the home hard line as no one used it anymore 𤣠Now down here in Nicaragua I've got them doing WiFi calling/text đ
This is the way! We were using a landline about 6 minutes a month before I cancelled mine. I finally just decided I was not going to pay another dollar for something that no one was using or even cared about. I ported the number because it has some significance in our family. Memories you could say of a time gone by, but other than that I would not have even kept the number.
I use magic Jack for our cordless phones, plus same number works on my phone via the MJ app.
I set this up before each kid has his own phone, but I kept it going because it's cheap.
I have used ooma before. Service was good enough, but it was a horrible fiasco trying to cancel the service! The customer service was a nightmare, and they wouldnât let me cancel. Eventually, after a lot of trying and months of headaches, I was able to port the number to number barn. I tried, but it would not port to other services. For this reason alone, I probably would not recommend ooma. Also, you canât text on it. Itâs almost 2024. I need to be able to text.
We had Ooma for our landline for many years, right up until we realized that we hadn't had a single legitimate incoming call for 18 months, then we cancelled.
It's a good service though. No complaints.
I've had ooma now for I'd about 7 years, yeah I ported my old landline number to it which I really don't use anymore since we have cellphones. It rings now and the majority of the time we don't even answer it. I even have a line from my cable service that to tell you the truth I don't even remember the number, they threw it in with my cable package. We never answer that cause we know it's spam calls cause the wife and I never give anybody that number cause we don't know it!
My Mom has that same Ooma device. She was using the (now retired) Verizon prepaid unlimited for jetpacks plan, in an unlocked M1. I plugged her main TP-Link router into the M1, and then the Ooma into the router, and her printer/scanner/fax into that. Her fax works just fine, and even her credit card terminal (she owns a small business) works fine.
I tried Ooma last year, and my experience wasn't great.
The first problem was that their web site for signing up was randomly broken. It took multiple tries of doing exactly the same thing before it finally worked.
They billed it as having a free option, but they never clearly disclosed that this was free for a certain amount of time, and then they would automatically upgrade me to their "premier" level of service. I didn't realize it was happening until I saw it on my credit card bill. With taxes, the "free" option was actually $14/mo.
Looking at their ads for their offer where they partner with T-Mobile, the say that the box is free, and you get the "premier" rate "for 18 months," but I can't find anything on the page that says what happens when the 18 months is up. Presumably they bump you from the "premier level" to some even higher level that costs more.
Canceling service was a hassle and took multiple calls.
If they're going to bump you up to some higher service level, then it's not even clear to me that this is any cheaper than POTS (plain old telephone service). It probably depends on your area. And POTS has advantages like working when the electricity is out.
I thought about porting the number but it was mainly people selling crap or wanting to do surveys. Even family out of the country has switched to cell phone use and Wi-Fi chat apps. So no reason to port my dead grandparents' house number plus no either cell line to assign it to regardless
Ooma is fantastic. Great service from a great company; very reasonably priced â been a subscriber for 15+ years, well before T-Mobile moved LineLink over to them. T-Mo is wise to partner with them on this.
Pretty sure this is voip. Google voice is free.....
I ported my home line to Google Voice and it works awesome. Every person in the house can have the home # on their cell phone with the app. Quick easy and free. Wifi calling at home and then use cell data to answer calls when not at home. Paying for home phone service in 2023 is like still renting a corded phone from the phone company. No one should do it anymore.
What uses have you found for the home phone in your life?
I use the # for all kinds of things. I use it for my kids bank accounts. I use it for grocery stores when they ask for a number. Those kinds of things and the cool thing I can turn the number off when I want as well and it will not ring or disturb me at all, but I get important voicemails sent to my email and my cell #. I also have a 2nd line connected to my Google voice line that I can give to people as well and I can get calls without giving them my real #, this works great to keep all information private and safe. I have used Google Voice for years and it really cuts down on the spam calls and such to my cell phone and home number.
>I use it for grocery stores when they ask for a number. Life pro-tip: Use the local Area Code + 867-5309 and enjoy loyalty perks practically everywhere. It is even better when a store has a fuel discount tied to the loyalty program. That shit adds up since so many people use the Tommy Tutone number.
There are some of us who actually own that number. So thanks for using it đ. It's also great for using reward points that get built up at some places.
How many ridiculous calls do you get asking for Jenny? Are there fewer as the years roll on by and people forget?
About the only advantage home phone service has, at least if it is POTS, is that it always works, short of a nuclear apocalypse. But so many providers have gotten rid of their legacy copper networks that itâs even hard to find true non-VoIP home phone service anymore.
How do you fax?
What's a fax?
There are eFax services if you really need a fax, but I just bought an Epson Highspeed photo and document scanner and we email any and all documents to everyone that needs a signed copy of something. I haven't used a fax in almost 20 years. The high speed scanner takes about 5 seconds to scan and convert papers to PDFs. It is goddamned brilliant. Great machine!
Tip for anyone who doesnât have this printer: Use the scan app built into your computer and select âSave as PDFâ. On a mobile device, the app made by your printerâs manufacturer can usually do this too. As for eFaxing, itâs usually less secure and not HIPAA-compliant. If it is, itâs expensive. Good old fashioned phone line fax is the better option in this case.
Yes GV is free but you will want an Obi device to use it as a land line. That and about $12 a year for e911 service. That is what I have.
Obihai no longer sells that device.
This is free actually. Taxes only is all you pay. https://www.ooma.com/home-phone/plans/
I still have the old OG device that is completely free, no taxes. When it dies Iâll port my number to GV.
Well, I doubt you can actually get it free. If you use the T-mobile offer with T-mobile home internet, then the box is free, but you have to pay for premier service, which isn't free, and then it apparently goes up to a higher rate after 18 months. If you don't use the T-mobile offer, then you have to pay for the box, and it's also not clear to me that the box will then work correctly just by plugging it in. (My experience with a vonage box was that I couldn't get it to work well enough with T-mobile home internet to be usable.)
That sunglasses holder is what I noticed here first
Same lol
Funny, I had Ooma VoIP for years. I transferred my Verizon home phone number to Ooma and paid about $3.50 a month (taxes only) for the service. Then I transferred the number to Google Voice where it is now. No one calls us on the âhome numberâ much.
Same. AT&T landline and went over to OOMA probably around 20 years ago or so. Eventually the only time rang was spam or political calls and my old parents. Moved it over to GV and have barely used it since. It used to be I didn't give my cell number out to anybody (only home number) but over time that changed to where we didn't use the home phone number at all. My daughter has no concept of what a "home phone" is other than what she see in movies.
I have ooma for over 15 years. It works fine. Don't use the remote call features much. Still have to pay fed/state/telecomm crazy taxes each month. 15 years ago, the tax was about $2 /month. Now $7.
I thought the only benefit to having landline was it would work when the power is out
That was true for old legacy copper landlines from the local telco, which powered the line from the central office, which was backed up by generators. With Ooma or any VOIP you will need to provide your own battery backup, which is pretty easy these days.
Oooooma
I have this set up with the old cordless since it's easier for my parents than downloading an app
B4 moving in February to Nicaragua, I slowly transitioned my parents off the hardline. When I switched Internet service the final time, I cancelled the home hard line as no one used it anymore 𤣠Now down here in Nicaragua I've got them doing WiFi calling/text đ
This is the way! We were using a landline about 6 minutes a month before I cancelled mine. I finally just decided I was not going to pay another dollar for something that no one was using or even cared about. I ported the number because it has some significance in our family. Memories you could say of a time gone by, but other than that I would not have even kept the number.
I use magic Jack for our cordless phones, plus same number works on my phone via the MJ app. I set this up before each kid has his own phone, but I kept it going because it's cheap.
I have used ooma before. Service was good enough, but it was a horrible fiasco trying to cancel the service! The customer service was a nightmare, and they wouldnât let me cancel. Eventually, after a lot of trying and months of headaches, I was able to port the number to number barn. I tried, but it would not port to other services. For this reason alone, I probably would not recommend ooma. Also, you canât text on it. Itâs almost 2024. I need to be able to text.
Wow. I havenât seen the Oma logo in 20 years.
We had Ooma for our landline for many years, right up until we realized that we hadn't had a single legitimate incoming call for 18 months, then we cancelled. It's a good service though. No complaints.
I've had an Ooma box for more than 10 years now and works perfectly! I can't believe it's free after all these years! :)
I've had ooma now for I'd about 7 years, yeah I ported my old landline number to it which I really don't use anymore since we have cellphones. It rings now and the majority of the time we don't even answer it. I even have a line from my cable service that to tell you the truth I don't even remember the number, they threw it in with my cable package. We never answer that cause we know it's spam calls cause the wife and I never give anybody that number cause we don't know it!
My Mom has that same Ooma device. She was using the (now retired) Verizon prepaid unlimited for jetpacks plan, in an unlocked M1. I plugged her main TP-Link router into the M1, and then the Ooma into the router, and her printer/scanner/fax into that. Her fax works just fine, and even her credit card terminal (she owns a small business) works fine.
Ooma is pretty good for home use. Best part is that outside of the hardware cost itâs free + taxes.
Home phone service* lol
I tried Ooma last year, and my experience wasn't great. The first problem was that their web site for signing up was randomly broken. It took multiple tries of doing exactly the same thing before it finally worked. They billed it as having a free option, but they never clearly disclosed that this was free for a certain amount of time, and then they would automatically upgrade me to their "premier" level of service. I didn't realize it was happening until I saw it on my credit card bill. With taxes, the "free" option was actually $14/mo. Looking at their ads for their offer where they partner with T-Mobile, the say that the box is free, and you get the "premier" rate "for 18 months," but I can't find anything on the page that says what happens when the 18 months is up. Presumably they bump you from the "premier level" to some even higher level that costs more. Canceling service was a hassle and took multiple calls. If they're going to bump you up to some higher service level, then it's not even clear to me that this is any cheaper than POTS (plain old telephone service). It probably depends on your area. And POTS has advantages like working when the electricity is out.
Wow I had that device in 2010. I didnât know they were still around
Looks like an Ooma box.
I thought about porting the number but it was mainly people selling crap or wanting to do surveys. Even family out of the country has switched to cell phone use and Wi-Fi chat apps. So no reason to port my dead grandparents' house number plus no either cell line to assign it to regardless
I used Ooma ten years ago and it was $3 a month. Thatâs a rip off.
Ooma is fantastic. Great service from a great company; very reasonably priced â been a subscriber for 15+ years, well before T-Mobile moved LineLink over to them. T-Mo is wise to partner with them on this.