A study conducted by the CDC found that 50.8% of US homes and apartments only have wireless phone service. This is still recognized to cause issues with making emergency calls, since most emergency call centers still link mobile call locations to the nearest cell tower, while they link landline calls to the actual address of the call.

 

Do you still have a landline in your house?

 

 

EDIT: Here is the CDC Study.

Edited May 4, 20179 yr by Colonels_Wear_Blue

I do not

Haven't had one since I moved to Louisville for school (13 years), probably will never have one.

I see virtually zero reason to have one.

Haven't had one for about 6 or 7 years now.

The wife and I are currently waiting on our closing date to move from an apartment to a house. We already have our landline arranged for the house. None in the apartment, though.

^What was your reasoning for getting one?

I see virtually zero reason to have one.

 

^What was your reasoning for getting one?

 

I totally understand the sentiment of not seeing the reason.

 

Personally, the majority of my reasoning for wanting a landline stems from the experience of a former co-worker back when I lived in NKY. She lived on the west side of Cincinnati on River Road. Her husband had what turned out not to be a heart attack one night while they were at home. She called 911 from her cell phone, and her call was routed to a NKY emergency call center because the cell tower that picked her call up was directly across the river in NKY. Neither she nor the 911 operator realized they were talking to someone on the other side of the river, and after my co-worker gave her address, and the 911 operator promptly dispatched an ambulance to that River Road address in Ludlow, KY. After a handful of confused calls between the paramedics and my coworker, she ended up driving her husband to the hospital herself. Good thing it wasn't a heart attack after all.

 

If I have a landline, I know that my exact location is going to be right every time. Additionally, once I have kids, there's ALWAYS a working phone around if they need to call 911. I know I was taught in kindergarten to call 911 in cases of an emergency...I have no intention of getting my kids a cell phone until high school, but I sure as heck want them to be able to call 911 whenever they need to.

That definitley makes sense, CWB.

Every time I have called 911 from my cell, they have immediately asked for my location and transferred me to the correct dispatch. Not a big deal, IMO.

I've only called 911 a few times ever, and they almost immediately asked for the address.

Every time I have called 911 from my cell, they have immediately asked for my location and transferred me to the correct dispatch. Not a big deal, IMO.

 

This. Haven't done it often, but every single time, the 1st thing they ask is, "where are you located?"

Every time I have called 911 from my cell, they have immediately asked for my location and transferred me to the correct dispatch. Not a big deal, IMO.

 

I've only called 911 a few times ever, and they almost immediately asked for the address.

 

This. Haven't done it often, but every single time, the 1st thing they ask is, "where are you located?"

 

Devil's advocate here...what about with little kids calling 911? I think I knew my home address by age 5 or 6, so that may not be such a great argument...but I don't think I knew any of my friends' addresses or my grandparents' addresses. I was at all of those houses an awful lot as a kid.

 

How about if you've got a 12 year old home on their own for an hour or two? Do they have a cell phone already? Do you leave a cell phone at home if you leave?

I totally understand the sentiment of not seeing the reason.

 

Personally, the majority of my reasoning for wanting a landline stems from the experience of a former co-worker back when I lived in NKY. She lived on the west side of Cincinnati on River Road. Her husband had what turned out not to be a heart attack one night while they were at home. She called 911 from her cell phone, and her call was routed to a NKY emergency call center because the cell tower that picked her call up was directly across the river in NKY. Neither she nor the 911 operator realized they were talking to someone on the other side of the river, and after my co-worker gave her address, and the 911 operator promptly dispatched an ambulance to that River Road address in Ludlow, KY. After a handful of confused calls between the paramedics and my coworker, she ended up driving her husband to the hospital herself. Good thing it wasn't a heart attack after all.

 

If I have a landline, I know that my exact location is going to be right every time. Additionally, once I have kids, there's ALWAYS a working phone around if they need to call 911. I know I was taught in kindergarten to call 911 in cases of an emergency...I have no intention of getting my kids a cell phone until high school, but I sure as heck want them to be able to call 911 whenever they need to.

 

The second we went away from Cincinnati Bell Land Lines in NKY and went to Cell Phones and "Cable Landlines" location became a problem.

 

In short, it sometimes means a longer response when you need emergency assistance. And in some cases where there is a struggle over a phone I am sure it is the difference between life and death.

Devil's advocate here...what about with little kids calling 911? I think I knew my home address by age 5 or 6, so that may not be such a great argument...but I don't think I knew any of my friends' addresses or my grandparents' addresses. I was at all of those houses an awful lot as a kid.

 

How about if you've got a 12 year old home on their own for an hour or two? Do they have a cell phone already? Do you leave a cell phone at home if you leave?

 

1) What would me having a landline have to do with an emergency situation if they were at a friend's or relatives house?

 

2) Once they're old enough to stay home alone, there will be some sort of phone (probably a pre-paid with minimal minutes) for emergencies, but wife and I are in agreement as of present that no cell phones until they start driving.

 

Another thing I'll add....Having a home security system makes the need for a landline even less pressing. One push of a button and EMT, Fire, or Police are on their way.