When Landline Service Comes in Handy: Why to Keep Your Landline

Cellphones have become a staple of American life. It used to be that only business people had car phones and cellphones, but nowadays it's more of a shock to find someone who doesn't own a cellphone. Cell phone use has become so prevalent that many people are wondering if they even need their landline phones anymore.

However, there are some cases when a landline phone will come in handy.

Free 411

Nowadays, we don't have much of a need for 411 services. All we need to do is a quick Internet search and we have all the information we need at our disposal. But in the case that you are in a rush and need a phone number quickly, a landline really does come in handy because most telephone services now offer free 411. If you try to make a 411 call on your cellphone you can end up having to pay $2 or $3 a pop, which really adds up.

Catching an Unfaithful Mate

Just about every relationship expert will tell you that if a man doesn't give you his home number, he's not serious about you. But what about if he has no home number, only a cell phone?

Not having a landline has definitely made it much easier for people to cheat and deceive, which is definitely a downside of getting rid of landlines. People can say they are home even when they are not and they can turn off their phone and send people directly to voicemail with ease while making up excuses later (such as their phone dying). They can also use text messages to stay in touch with their loved one instead of feeling the sting of guilt that comes with actually speaking to their significant other.

So the use of cellphones over landlines has definitely created some disadvantages in the world of dating.

Power Outage

Remember those old ovalesque Trimline phones, with the curly cords, that fit just right in the phone base? They probably cost about $5.99 in the store (at least back then). They are just about the only phones that don't require a power source. In the case of a power outage, those phones (and other similar types of landline phones) are the only way that you will be able to communicate with the outside world, which is why every house should have at least one. After a while, your cellphone will run out of power and you can't recharge it, so a power outage is definitely a situation where having a landline service comes in handy.

If you're debating on whether to keep your landline, it's really dependent on whether you think that any of these three situations could apply to you on a regular basis. Some people will find that it's safer to keep a landline phone active, just in case.