MetaChat - Dear me. Are ordinary phones getting phased out?

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24 February 2008

Dear me. Are ordinary phones getting phased out? I just went to Best Buy to buy a cordless phone/answering machine. It took me forever to find them -- they were tucked way in the very back corner beyond the video game stuff, and there was a big wheeled ladder blocking the display. Doesn't look like Best Buy's very interested in selling land line telephones.

post by: JanetLand at: 18:16 | 9 comments

Yes. Your choices are cellular or sticking your head out the window and yelling.

My advice is to buy a rotary phone on eBay just to be perverse.

posted by jonmc 24 February | 18:19

I haven't had one in at least five years. The only reason I can see for it is if you live in a place where there is no coverage, or you depend on DSL, and had to purchase a land line to make that work in the first place, and are only getting your money's worth out of it.

posted by pieisexactlythree 24 February | 18:23

Ha! I've already done that, jonmc! I have the ringer on the new cordless phone turned off, and a beautiful old Western Electric (my dad worked for them!) phone sitting right beside it, so in addition to the fun of dialing with a dial I get that old school ring. Sweet.

posted by JanetLand 24 February | 18:23

I haven't had a landline for more than two years now. I do have a collection of really cool landline phones though!

posted by dabitch 24 February | 19:09

Hmm. At the Best Buy near me (West Little Rock), they have cordless phones right up front with the cellphones. Which makes logical sense, but has always seemed to me to be a poor use of prime retail real estate.

posted by box 24 February | 19:50

Most of the Targets in the area have a row of them. Which is good for people like me who have a landline but not a cellphone. The new phones are pretty swank too, with multiple handsets, and the ability to use the handset and base as an intercom.

posted by drezdn 24 February | 20:06

I've had a cell-only sitch for years now. I'm actually thinking of getting rid of it and going back to the land line. I'm glad they're still a bit swank.

posted by MonkeyButter 24 February | 20:20

It's difficult for me to imagine a circumstance under which I'd want to get a cell phone, much less give up my land line. I don't want to be accessible 24/7, ever ever ever. And yes, I know that you can turn off your phone; I can do that with my land line, too. Can you turn off the brain tumors as well?

posted by bmarkey 25 February | 02:12

I have a cell phone because I'm all over the place, all the time and like it that way. I never got a landline as the cost of setting that up and never using it, monthly fee's alone adds up to 4500 SEK a year, which is one months rent money I'd rather use on that.

posted by dabitch 25 February | 03:44

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