<p>I answer my landline phone less than 20% of the time these days. Reason? First, the only people who want to talk to me are salesmen or “pollsters.” (Yeah, we’re on the “Don’t call” list. I’d hate to think what it’d be like if we weren’t.) Any “real” person calling that number wants to talk to my wife or daughter - and I’d say that’s the minority of rings these days. So I just let it ring until it stops. Usually there’s no message. Personal calls all come to the cell number. </p>
<p>It’s getting so the landline phone only serves as an ID number for the pizza places and other people who want proof of who (and where) we are. Is this happening to the rest of you guys?</p>
<p>P.S. The end is near. My wife has started to get auto-dial sales pitches on her cell phone now.</p>
<p>I answer the phone. Our cell barely works at all at our house and is only used when we are out of the area. Thus, our land line IS the phone we must use in the home. I would say that 90% of the calls I receive are either my kids, husband, mother, in laws, or telemarketers/charities. I always answer the phone as I always think it is the kids and it often is (both are away at college) and so I could never not answer for that reason alone. However, I am so sick of telemarketers and charity calls and credit card offers, etc. I get these daily. Unfortunately, since I always think it COULD be my kids, I answer. When my children lived at home, of course lots of calls were THEIR friends but that is no longer…except the very very infrequent times they are home from college (which is coming up) and they must instruct all friends to call our home number as their cells will not receive the calls at our house. It is kinda like old times for a week.</p>
<p>PS…no pizza delivery in my neck of the woods!</p>
<p>Kluge , you need to register your number with the national do not call list and it will stop, this is what I did when even my four kids wouldn’t answer the phone!!</p>
<p>Haven’t answered my landline for at least 2 yrs. now, unless I happen to know who is calling. (Caller ID function/equipment failed some time ago.) Went on Do Not Call list prior to 2 yrs. ago; still didn’t make a difference. 98% of the calls are the computerized telemarketer ones, with no live voice on the other end. Race to the phone: be greeted by silence; long pause; click.</p>
<p>Will be getting a new landline soon. It will be unlisted & will be simultaneous with Do Not Call AND will have a well functioning Caller ID. My true friends & legit businesses know how to reach me, anyway, & never call without leaving a message. Anyone else is bogus.</p>
<p>soozie, you go onto DoNotCall.gov. (Just edited with help of above replier.) The only problem I’ve run into is that sometimes it’s “temporarily out of service” (perhaps because of overload or other tech issues?), & at those times you can’t register. Going forward of registration, telemarketers should be blocked (& can be reported, with heavy fines). The catch is that telemarketers who “found” you prior to your registration of that number are free to continue to abuse your number & privacy.</p>
<p>I use my landline far more than my cell phone. I like the way my home phone cradles under my chin better than the cell phone. And I’ve tried bluetooth and for some reason I just don’t feel as comfortable talking on it. </p>
<p>I also have a home business and my customers all use my home phone. My kids always call the home phone first.</p>
<p>We still get solicitors even though we’re on the list. I think existing businesses that you already have a relationship with (your bank, credit card, etc.) can still call you.</p>
<p>JEM, thank you SO much. I just registered. Let’s see if there is any difference. I also get lots of the calls that epiphany mentions that are automated and start with a long silence and then a recorded message (ie…"I must call right away about my credit card!! etc…)</p>
<p>Glad to help. I do think that there are two categories of companies that are not bound by the Do Not Call legislation:
non-profits
and
any company with which you have previously done business. </p>
<p>We got a call from the local orchestra last night. I just tell them to send whatever they want by mail and that I never respond to phone solicitations. They then put me on their own “no calls” list.</p>
<p>The above info is from my recollection, not any official source, but I did want to let people know that while the unwelcome calls should drop in number, they may not totally stop.</p>
<p>We only answer the telephone once we have “screened” the call via our answering machine. If the caller is someone we want/need to speak with, we pick up. If not, we return the call later. (Or not.)</p>
<p>We have good Caller ID, so most of the time we just don’t answer unless we know the name or number. Most of us get all the important calls on our cell phones anyways.</p>
<p>We got rid of our land line a few years ago in favor of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol.) A tangible advantage of a land line is that one’s location information is electronically divulged via Caller ID when one makes a 911 call, but Caller ID is unavailable here.</p>
<p>Is there a problem with VoIp phone when the power is down? Is this correct?I know at work we can’t use it when we have no power. At least with the landline we can still call with backup batteries.</p>
<p>Correct, VoIP doesn’t work when the power is out. We lose power frequently, often for many hours at a time. Our house automatically switches to generator power when the power company doesn’t provide power but at those times we have to resort to using a cell phone.</p>
<p>I use the landline for outgoing calls (it’s definitely more comfortable to hold), but I just don’t answer it unless the number belongs to someone I know. The Do Not Call registry only goes so far! </p>
<p>For years now, the big kids* have known to start this way if they get the answering machine: Mom - it’s me. Mo-om, I know you’re screening calls. It’s ME. Please pick up! </p>
<p>(I do pick up, I promise. :D)</p>
<p>*The five-year-old doesn’t do much calling from school or playdates!</p>