A Landline For Only $5 A Month?

It would definitely be worth looking in to. Interested in what the taxes would be.

Well I think Magicjack has that beat. It works most of the time and it’s only 20 bucks a year including taxes (I think)…….I have it but don’t use it because it makes my laptop UNwireless……

Thanks for the comments.
Goose. You may want to get a wireless unit that supports VOIP. When I did my problems with Vonage faded away.

No I wouldn’t consider it. Who needs that kind of limitations?!

I got rid of my landline phone last year, and don’t miss it at all.

The truth is that very few people who communicate with me use the phone. We prefer to use Skype, in the video mode.

I have a TracFone, prepaid cellphone for any phone calls I need to make. With the amount of phone usage I have, it’s a perfect match.

I have Verizon cell service is “spotty” I can text but answering drops me immediately. I would like to know more?

Umm, the time on my comment is an hour later that I am, I guess ill know where I’m at in an hour.

I’ll take MagicJack over this potential Verizon deal… At $40/year, MagicJack translates into slightly more than $3 per month for unlimited local and long distance calls - both incoming and outgoing. Also, you can take your home phone with you wherever you go. As long as you have internet access, you’re good to make calls with your MagicJack phone. Great invention - I recently signed up for the trial and am really liking it. Handled a conference call with it yesterday. No problems with it so far.

I currently still have a landline, mainly just because of the DSL service that I have. I have considered dropping it, and I’m debating my options.

Likely, this $5 is a flat service fee. I’d assume you’d be charged like crazy for any incoming call you receive. Also note no outgoing calls means no internet service through the line. This may not be a problem for urban people like most geeks, but the rural customer this may be intended for would be missing out. Unless you plan on paging people (in which you’ll have to purchase a beeper), this option isn’t very plausible. Thanks, but no thanks Verizon (my future mobile provider, formerly Alltel)

Thanks for the comments everyone. Your opinions are appreciated.
Regards, Ron

If they were to offer say $10 a month for both incoming and outgoing I might consider it but for only incoming no. Though if you don’t make many outgoing calls it may be worth it.

If it is truly $5 a month and maybe just $5 more in fees and taxes then it would be Great! Otherwise, if they do you like AT&T with the “Dial Subscriber Line” for $15 and then add $25 in fees, it is rip-off.

I will stick with my Skype internet phone that I modified to work on any available Wi-Fi signal until someone can prove to me that Verizon is sticking to its promise.

I just keep my portable skype phone base plugged up in the car and drive around until I find a signal in town using my meter, or I use it parked in the driveway of the apartment. It has a portable handset that works about 350 to 500 feet from the base unit.

Here’s what I say forget that and get the magic jack. I paid $60 and I have voip telephone on my pc for 5 years no other charges except for the little gizmo that plugs into the pc it was $39.00

I have 5 years with no phone bills!!! And local and long distance for free… It does not get better than this…

“One thing that is not mentioned in the article is how much taxes would be.”

*heh* Better count on that $5/month phone costing $15/month for $2/month worth of service the way things are going…

That sounds perfect for me. I never call anyone but do occasionally receive calls.

I would use a $5 backup phone system.That would be great! I also have MagicJack & it does not cost $40 a year, but when u 1st buy it the MagicJack itself(hardware) is $20 plus the 1st year service is $20. Everyear afterwards it’s only $20 a year for the service. That makes the cost of using the MagicJack not $3 a month but about .83 cents a month. It not only does unlimited local and long distance calls both incoming and outgoing to anywhere in USA $ Canada but free caller ID, Free 3-way calling, Free voice-Mail, take it anywhere with u in the world (hardware is about the size of two flash drives held together).

I don’t think so….. if u could only have incoming calls (aside from 911 and Verizon) there would be no point. The taxes would probably be more than what it’d be worth. I’m guessing that it’d be around $20-$25 after all the charges are added up.

If they charged a little more but add the outgoing calls and lower taxes/fees I’d consider it.

I haven’t needed an incoming only landline since the old days when I ran a BBS (yes, some geeks go way back).

Ron, could you elaborate on this:

“Goose. You may want to get a wireless unit that supports VOIP. When I did my problems with Vonage faded away.”

What exactly do you mean by “wireless unit”?

Hello Garrett W.,
I bought a D-Link DIR-625 which was on sale over at Amazon.

D-Link DIR-625 is described as:

‘With D-Link’s award-winning QoS engine that prioritizes time-sensitive online traffic, this router enables smooth Internet phone calls (VoIP) and responsive gaming.’

My Belkin wireless router kept dropping calls to the point that I almost canceled Vonage. The new D-Link works great with Vonage and no dropped calls.