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Are landlines dead?

Posted by luci

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Forum: Low-tech Living Group

I was thinking of setting up a landline because I've been enjoying turning off my cell phone and night and sometimes on weekends.  But I do want to have a way for my family members to reach me in case of an emergency or something.  However, I searched for a phone company where I live and couldn't find one.  Does anyone here have a landline and how did you set it up?  Or are landlines really dead?


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Reply by OK_mel

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I think getting a landline if you don't already have one would be very tricky, if not impossible, though, I don't know a lot about landlines. I've read some contradictory stuff on the internet, some say that they will be phased out soon. I think those in rural areas still can have it in the USA. I also seen some landline service offers without the need of wi-fi (since some say landlines will stay on but they will be used via internet?). I don't know much about landlines so sorry for rambling.

I'd say your next best option is a flip-phone or a phone with a keyboard on it. While many brands are unusable/you can't get service on them many still work in 2025! I recommend looking up what works in the USA (I don't recommend importing them from Japan or Korea because a lot of them only work in their specific country, plus it's more expensive even if a lot look very cool). These types of phones are called "dumbphones" and I recommend the dumbphone reddit where you can gather a lot of information, including what phones work in what country and what features do they have (with some you can only have the apps included on that phone, but with others you can download it from the phone's app store). I know that CAT phones or Kyocera phones work in the USA, but there are also other options.

I don't have a dumbphone myself, though I would like to. I can't exactly do that right now. But I'm bringing my phone around less.

Hope this helped a little.



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Reply by OK_mel

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Okay! I actually found out that you totally CAN have a new landline in 2025. Though apparently you're more susceptible to spam callers since it's mostly the elderly who have landlines nowadays but also because of how the filtering system works (modern phones have better filters when it comes to that). Apparently some of these spam calls are really messed up, like someone saying they've kidnapped your child even (with screaming and all) but I would guess most spam calls are your average spam call.

Hope you can get a landline! I still think that they are really cool.


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