Money Easy way to save some money = cancel your home phone but keep the # - Page 4

Ralphy Boy · 08-17-2010, 04:46 PM

and transfer it to a cell phone.

I'm sure some of you have done this and maybe there has been a thread on it before but, for those who don't know, I figured I'd pass this along. Posting it here since most people only go to the Lounge.

A friend of mine used to work for AT&T and I told him I was thinking of getting rid of our home phone and just getting another mobile, so he suggested I call AT&T and have our old home number "ported" to the new mobile phone. Basically you get to keep your old number and don't have to worry about changing your phone number of record with anyone.

Cost of the extra cell phone is $10 a month.
Our old home phone was $46.05 a month with all the features (caller ID, call waiting, long distance) and taxes.

Since a mobile phone has caller ID and voicemail built in, I didn't really lose anything other than the ability to have 3 or 4 different phones throughout the house.

Obviously if you use your home phone a lot then you might not want to do this.

Incidentally while I was talking to the customer service rep I told him I was thinking about cancelling my $33 a month DSL too and he said they are running a special on it for $14.95 a month for the next 12 months.

My total monthly savings should be $54 or about $650 over the next year.

Hopefully a few of you can save some green by doing the same thing.

Oh and your welcome.

Hydrae · 08-18-2010, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lzen

Yeah, I'm looking at their website and thinking perhaps not. I don't wanna have to have my computer on to make and receive calls. I would like something that I can hook up to my router. Just looked at Vonage. But they can't transfer my phone number. WTF?

We use a VOIP set up through T-Mobile that allowed me to still use the house phones and keep the same number. Costs all of $10 a month.

Garcia Bronco · 08-18-2010, 07:52 AM

I would do this only if I didn't have young children in the house.

LTL · 08-18-2010, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaFace

That's (mostly) true. If you happen to have an easy way to connect it to your internet connection, that can serve as an alternative to a phone line. If you don't have either, though, you'd have to call their PPV number to manually order every time you do any kind of PPV event.

This is what I do, just use the ethernet port in the back of the receiver and connect that way and it's worked fine for me for the 2 years that I have done it. I have never had a phone line hooked into it. I have been able to order PPV and ST has never given me any problems.

"Bob" Dobbs · 08-19-2010, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bwana

Ok, let me ask you boys this, perhaps I'm thinking about needing it for pay per view movies and ordering MMA with direct TV? I was jawing about all of that crap with them and they claimed I needed it for something. Any thoughts on that cluster?

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/cinema

Just log in and order whatever. No phone needed.

**Bwana** · 08-19-2010, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by "Bob" Dobbs

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/cinema

Just log in and order whatever. No phone needed.

Cool beans, rep.

**007** · 02-12-2011, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saulbadguy

Yeah, only old farts still have a home phone.

Yeah, I'm an old fart.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lzen

I still have a land line. But I have considered getting rid of it for years. I just can't bring myself to do it because I still like the idea of having a home number. Lately, I have been thinking of saving some bucks and doing VOIP. Anyone know anything about Magicjack?

I'm actually looking into this. They have a free trial going right now so what the hell.

Hog's Gone Fishin · 02-12-2011, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaFace

Not entirely sure why they say it's required, but based on this thread...

http://forums.directv.com/pe/action/...ostID=10577985

...it seems clear that you can disconnect the land line and have no repercussions whatsoever.

I have a landline but don't have any connected to my Dtv boxes and I had NFL sunday ticket.

R8RFAN · 02-12-2011, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bwana

The piece of crap Direct TV makes you have, in order to get NFL Sunday ticket. Freaken Dickweeds.

I have never hooked a landline to my directv and I have sunday ticket

**Saulbadguy** · 02-12-2011, 07:37 AM

When I had DirecTV, I never had a landline. I also had sunday ticket.

JD10367 · 02-12-2011, 08:01 AM

Just what I want: my home phone number forwarded to my cell phone, that way the telemarketers can annoy me all day long by calling my hip instead of ringing an empty house. No thanks.

If you "strip down" your home phone service to almost nothing (no long distance, no call waiting, etc.,.), you can probably get it for around $10-20 anyway. I have the package from my cable company (digital phone, high-speed Internet, cable with 900 channels and HD along with HBO) and when they finally tax and screw me with all the little details it's around $150/month. If I had them take the phone out, it would probably only drop ten bucks, so I don't bother. It's good to have just for businesses (some require one, plus some CC companies need you to activate the card from your home phone) and to make quick local calls (check the bank balance, call the pizza place, etc.,.) without using a daytime phone minute.

**DaFace** · 02-12-2011, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JD10367

Just what I want: my home phone number forwarded to my cell phone, that way the telemarketers can annoy me all day long by calling my hip instead of ringing an empty house. No thanks.

For what it's worth, your phone number should end up on the "no no" list for telemarketers fairly quickly after you port it to your cell phone. It's illegal to call a cell phone using an autodialer unless they have a preexisting relationship with you, so companies are required to clean their list against lists of cell phone numbers. I'm sure it'd take a bit for the lists to update, but you really shouldn't get a bunch of telemarketing calls on your cell.

memyselfI · 02-12-2011, 09:50 AM

I have TMO@home which runs through my computer and is $10 a month for an actual home phone with all of the features of both a home and cell phone except no limit on minutes and free domestic long distance.

No thanks.

**007** · 02-12-2011, 01:51 PM

anyone ever try this

www.nettalk.com

It doesn't require your PC to be on.

Mr. Laz · 02-12-2011, 02:34 PM

doesn't keeping your landline phone # just encourage spammers to add to your cell minutes?

**DaFace** · 02-12-2011, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laz

doesn't keeping your landline phone # just encourage spammers to add to your cell minutes?

...

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaFace

For what it's worth, your phone number should end up on the "no no" list for telemarketers fairly quickly after you port it to your cell phone. It's illegal to call a cell phone using an autodialer unless they have a preexisting relationship with you, so companies are required to clean their list against lists of cell phone numbers. I'm sure it'd take a bit for the lists to update, but you really shouldn't get a bunch of telemarketing calls on your cell.

08-17-2010, 04:46 PM
Ralphy Boy MVP Join Date: Aug 2001 Casino cash: $10004900	Easy way to save some money = cancel your home phone but keep the # and transfer it to a cell phone. I'm sure some of you have done this and maybe there has been a thread on it before but, for those who don't know, I figured I'd pass this along. Posting it here since most people only go to the Lounge. A friend of mine used to work for AT&T and I told him I was thinking of getting rid of our home phone and just getting another mobile, so he suggested I call AT&T and have our old home number "ported" to the new mobile phone. Basically you get to keep your old number and don't have to worry about changing your phone number of record with anyone. Cost of the extra cell phone is $10 a month. Our old home phone was $46.05 a month with all the features (caller ID, call waiting, long distance) and taxes. Since a mobile phone has caller ID and voicemail built in, I didn't really lose anything other than the ability to have 3 or 4 different phones throughout the house. Obviously if you use your home phone a lot then you might not want to do this. Incidentally while I was talking to the customer service rep I told him I was thinking about cancelling my $33 a month DSL too and he said they are running a special on it for $14.95 a month for the next 12 months. My total monthly savings should be $54 or about $650 over the next year. Hopefully a few of you can save some green by doing the same thing. Oh and your welcome.
Posts: 5,088

08-18-2010, 07:52 AM	#47
Garcia Bronco No Keys, No Problem Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Denver Casino cash: $1683136	I would do this only if I didn't have young children in the house.
Posts: 32,967

02-12-2011, 07:37 AM	#54
Saulbadguy When a nightmare becomes real Join Date: Nov 2003 Casino cash: $736966	When I had DirecTV, I never had a landline. I also had sunday ticket.
Posts: 47,020

02-12-2011, 08:01 AM	#55
JD10367 Cheaterlover* Join Date: May 2009 Location: RI Casino cash: $10010716	Just what I want: my home phone number forwarded to my cell phone, that way the telemarketers can annoy me all day long by calling my hip instead of ringing an empty house. No thanks. If you "strip down" your home phone service to almost nothing (no long distance, no call waiting, etc.,.), you can probably get it for around $10-20 anyway. I have the package from my cable company (digital phone, high-speed Internet, cable with 900 channels and HD along with HBO) and when they finally tax and screw me with all the little details it's around $150/month. If I had them take the phone out, it would probably only drop ten bucks, so I don't bother. It's good to have just for businesses (some require one, plus some CC companies need you to activate the card from your home phone) and to make quick local calls (check the bank balance, call the pizza place, etc.,.) without using a daytime phone minute.
Posts: 12,916

02-12-2011, 09:50 AM	#57
memyselfI CHANGEd your mind yet???? Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Lunatics Anonymous Casino cash: $10005234	I have TMO@home which runs through my computer and is $10 a month for an actual home phone with all of the features of both a home and cell phone except no limit on minutes and free domestic long distance. No thanks. __________________ Meet the new boss same as the old boss. BigChiefDave:"Anyone who thought we would only be in Iraq for a few years is either stoned or just stoopid." "It is unknowable how long that conflict will last. It could last 6 days, 6 wks. I doubt 6 mths." Rummy 2/7/03
Posts: 32,000

02-12-2011, 01:51 PM	#58
007 Shaken. Not stirred. Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: London Casino cash: $12140126 VARSITY	anyone ever try this www.nettalk.com It doesn't require your PC to be on. __________________ My dear girl, there are some things that just aren’t done. Such as, drinking Dom Perignon ’53 above the temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s just as bad as listening to the Beatles without earmuffs.
Posts: 65,736

02-12-2011, 02:34 PM	#59
Mr. Laz Don't Tease Me Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: KS Casino cash: $11047037	doesn't keeping your landline phone # just encourage spammers to add to your cell minutes? __________________
Posts: 95,626