The End of Analogue Phone Lines

When I worked in telecoms it was normal to provide a back up power source to cover power failures. I cannot imagine that is still not true at least for significant hubs.

peedee

Everything is being replaced with fibre optic cable. At the moment - even if you have fibre broadband, the chances are that it's fibre up to that junction box and then ordinary copper to your house - so the speeds aren't that high

I have such a system, its fibre in the road outside the house and the feed into the house is coaxial for the broadband, 200Mbs download and 20Mbs upload. A cooper cable is piggy backed on the coax to provide the analogue phone connection which is only there for incoming calls and emergencies because it is cheaper to use the mobile for all outgoing calls.

peedee

Your post has set me thinking. 

I pay X amount monthly to my BB provider for unlimited 24/7 calls from our landline, with some numbers excluded. 

We also have a couple of mobiles with unlimited calls and again some restrictions, but I have been reluctant to use them too much as I just can't figure out or remember which numbers are likely to result in charges. 

For example with are with Three and if I call a number on another network or a landline number will I be charged?   What is the norm?

It would save a significant amount if I could ditch the monthly landline calls payment.

With both our mobiles O2 and EE through BT, the inclusive unlimited calls cover 01, 02, 03 and any mobile network as well as 0800. You could try Googling to see what 3 includes, or just make some short calls and check to see if there is any charge. The unlimited texts have caught us out. Emoticons sometimes seem to be counted as pictures, so get charged for. Not really a problem we normally use WhatsApp for that type of communication anyway. 

A safety issue, just as we unplug shredders, bedside alarms etc. when away. Never even thought about the cost aspect. We just powered everything down when we went away. 

With unlimited calls LLM you would be daft not to use your mobiles for all your outgoing calls. I have the same set up but don't worry too much about it if I make a chargable call on the mobile. I think the service providers all have different policies. My mobile is with Giff Gaff.

peedee

We used to unplug it when we first had one and it caused all sorts of problems, as it didn’t receive automatic updates. Now it’s left on 24/7 365 days of the year. If it wasn’t we wouldn’t be able to access security cameras.

Thanks, yes do too for certain things when away from more than a weekend, but not overnight.

Also we trust the fridge

We have had mobiles with 3 for many years, always PAYG as we are very light users.   In the last 5 + years we have moved from BT as our landline provider and been through 2 different BB providers who had calling plans, but these would have been very expensive for what we used as we were away about half the year.  Instead we used mobiles for calls.

Now we are home more we found it restrictive to worry about calling costs, so have taken a £5 per month SIM with 3 which has unlimited calls and texts in UK, not sure what happens abroad, and a small data allowance.

Calls can be to other than premium rate numbers, no problem calling landlines or people on other networks.

It would save a significant amount if I could ditch the monthly landline calls payment.

I'm not sure the savings would be that significant, LLM but it depends on your circumstances .  By way of an example - we are with EE for everything.  I currently pay £29pm for fibre (not superfast fibre) broadband plus landline rental - with an additional £5pm for unlimited calls on the landline.

Switching to superfast broadband would reduce the BB bill to £27pm and, of course I wouldn't be paying for the unlimited calls because the landline would go - so an overall saving of £7pm.

Is it worth it - I'm not sure because I just feel uneasy about losing the landline.