Do You Really Need to Have a Landline Phone in 2020?

Journalists who commonly report on new luxury products have quickly embraced mobile phones, but in the process they've abandoned traditional landline models. While you might know somebody who collects physical phones as a hobby, you're much less likely to find people who continue to show much interest in the landline market.

Even small business owners are quickly getting rid of their landline connections and relying solely on mobile phones. In some cases, companies have even further reduced costs by eliminating this service.

While it might seem inelegant, a few cost-conscious firms are working to completely switch over to email as a form of communication. That's leaving consumers asking themselves whether they should still pay for landline service.

In response, tech company representatives are trying new business models that might have them rethink this decision.

Virtual Home Phone Services

Taxes constitute a healthy chunk of what you pay when you sign up for a traditional landline. Internet-based home phone service costs much less as a result, since federal authorities aren't able to levy the same charges on virtual resources that they can on physical ones.

Technologists warned against Internet-based telephony for years. They claimed that it was less secure than traditional services and wouldn't work in stormy conditions. Though media outlets continue to echo these warnings, they're largely based on outdated information according to several top experts.

Firewalls help to protect computer networks, and there's been a number of advances in them since those concerns were first raised. In fact, it's probably more secure than conventional phone systems. Telecommunications company representatives can normally monitor calls fairly easily using basic twisted pair wires.

In terms of reliability, Internet-based systems are every bit as reliable as everything else on the Internet. Consider the amount of downtime you experience on your home Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection. Users in many areas no longer suffer from major problems with this like they once did.

The question remains as to whether people actually still need to subscribe to landline services. For those who are really used to using traditional phones, this should prove to be a good modern alternative that still makes use of classic hardware.

Reasons to Keep Your Home Phone

While home Internet connections have reached the point where they're largely stable, the same can't be said of most wireless providers. Even if you're in an area with good coverage, there's bound to be areas where you won't get a signal. Some of these areas might be on your property. Having a home phone can provide a reliable backup in emergencies or when cellular service is unavailable.

Backup battery systems have allowed even Internet-based phone systems to stay online when the power goes out. Cell towers are often equipped with generators, but these often have a much shorter lifespan than a small local battery would.

Some people have interfaced their home security systems with their landline phones. Engineers have developed a number of different security technologies that leverage cellular technology, so this might not be as compelling of a reason to keep landline service in the near future.

For now, though, it's something to consider. There's also always the risk that you'll need to provide a physical landline number when subscribing to certain products.

Long-range accessories are available that make landline phones much less unwieldy. These may prove more attractive than a mobile phone for those who live on larger estates or who have second homes.

Running a Business from Your Phone

A good chunk of the population can probably scrap their landline service. Those who run businesses from home, however, might want to give this one last thought. Individuals who do any kind of day trading or work with a credit union might find that mobile phone handsets aren't the best when it comes to tackling complex financial transactions.

Individual needs will dictate whether you end up keeping your phone in the end, but those who operate businesses like this will probably want something on the desk in their home office.

If you're thinking about eliminated what seems like an unnecessary expense, then talk to your current provider about bundling different services together. Otherwise, you might also think about using the Internet as your sole communications method since there's so many communications options available through it.