A land line refers to telephone service from a communications company. Land line telephones were once nearly universal in homes and businesses, but with the advent of cell phones and computers, the use of land lines for telephone communications has declined. People and companies can use less expensive phone services like voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) and can rely on wireless phones since the service areas are nearly universal across the U.S. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) completed a study in 2007 that found 16 percent of U.S. households relied on wireless phones exclusively for telephone service.
Step 1
Evaluate whether you and your family or company are good candidates for eliminating traditional phone service. Households where the power goes off frequently or whose Internet connection is unstable or slow may not be able to use VoIP services. VoIP phones may not necessarily need a computer to be running, but the modem and router that connect the phone to the Internet need to have power for the VoIP service to work. Having a dependable wireless phone along with VoIP can cover the bases when the VoIP service is down.
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Step 2
Compare wireless and VoIP plans to see how much money you will save by turning off your land line. Once you have made the decision to turn off the traditional phone service, make sure that you have the wireless and VoIP services running smoothly. Sometimes the VoIP equipment is easy to set up, but some providers require a phone call to get the router set up. Users without a cell phone have no way to contact technical support without a land line.
Step 3
Call your phone company to shut off your service once your alternative phone services have been set up and are operating reliably. If you use VoIP, make sure you set up the 911 service within your account so that local emergency services will know exactly where you live or where your building is located.
Tip
Most VoIP plans include free long distance.
Warning
If you need to fax, make sure the VoIP service you choose includes faxing abilities. Not all VoIP services provide a fax signal. VoIP and wireless phones are not listed in white page phone directories. Like wireless providers, VoIP services keep track of the minutes used on the telephones and may have a limit, after which users are charged a premium for using more time.
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