has anyone here had good/bad/indifferent service with cable phone providers? DH wants to get the bundle package. I know there is no phone service if the power goes out. But we have cell phones which would most likely work in that event.
Is there anything else we need to know? would storms affect service? Lots of rain?
We could save almost $450 a year if we did this. That's a lot of batiks
Kellie
"Kellie J. Berger" wrote in news:lnzrg.19372$ snipped-for-privacy@tornado.texas.rr.com:
The usual 911 service concern...... what we do is have the emergency number programmed into our cell phones..... but what they say around here is it may connect you to any phone including one not manned anywhere in the local PD if you use 911 with broadband service. They will however, gladly give you the correct emergency number at the local PD.
We have the cable phone service (because of the bundle thing - and for some reason that gets us free cinemax...whatever) I don't notice any difference. It went down twice. Once was because the man that hooked it up didn't know what he was doing and the box shorted out. The second time our cable/Internet/phone were all down...for about 30 minutes, don't know why. Storms and rain and things haven't effected it as far as I know.
Roberta (in VA)
To add further to Jan's comment about calling 911 from your cell phone. Here in California, when you call 911 from your cell phone, it connects you to the Highway Patrol - I don't know if that is true for for any of the other states. The few occasions I have called 911 from my cell phone to report an accident or a hazard on the road, it rings & rings & rings before it gets picked up & then I've gotten a recording to stay on the line. Once I finally hung up after about 15 minutes - they called me back about 10 minutes later (I guess thru caller I.D.), but I would not rely on 911 from my cell phone as my only means to contact emergency services - at least here in California.
We've had the odd power outage in storms and once when an 18-wheeler took out the wires crossing the street. We also lost it when some young teen ran his car straight onto a pole, knocking it down. The fact he walked away without a scratch is a testament to modern car safety. However... Most of the time during storms it does NOT go down. During the big storms and flooding, we did not lose power or cable.
-georg cable phone for more than a year now
I love my cable phone! I had so much trouble with my phone when I had regular service from verizon, switched to another company and still had problems. There was obviously something wrong with the wires and everytime we had a bad rain, phone would go out. They were never able to fix it.
It's true that you do lose phone service if you lose power. That has only happened a few times. I've only had it go out once without losing power and only for a half hour. I pay $35 a month for unlimited calling any where, and that's all - no this tax and that surcharge. With a phone plan that was similar, I was paying $75 after all the taxes and surcharges were added.
L>has anyone here had good/bad/indifferent service with cable phone providers?
I have been using Cox for my phone service for at least 8 years. Had lots of problems in the beginning, have not had a one in the last 6 years. Calls clear, calls cheaper, not a problem at all. I do use my cell for long distance since they are included in the regular minutes and thus do not cost me anymore.
Debbi in SO CA
Kellie J. Berger wrote:
We had to weigh that choice a long time since we live in a storm area. The telephone lines are considered an essential, the cable a luxury. Some brilliant authorities made that decision without consulting me. So. We kept our phone and computer on the regular phone service. After Katrina, our phone and computer were back within a week. Our 'around the swamp and down the lane' neighbors were without cable/phone/computer for about 3 months. Some cell phone companies never lost a beat; some aren't back yet. You will want to evaluate the reliability of your cable company. Our guys are very nice - but a couple of beers short of a 6-pack. Polly
that was one of my big worries.. and the 911 wondering if $40 a month savings is worth it or not... we are a bit further inland that I was in Hugo, but not far enough to be safe. But you never know what's gonna work and what isn't after a storm like that!
and if we are out with our cell phones and a babysitter is at home and the power goes out.
decisions decisions
And here in Pierce County, Washington, if you call on a cell phone, you can be placed on hold...I nearly got killed in gang crossfire a few years ago because of that. It's not something I recommend. In addition to our cordless land line phones, we have one traditional wired phone. Since phone lines aren't run by electricity, it's pretty stable, unless the phone relay station went out, which is highly unlikely.
Let me climb back in and add an obvious. ( Pretend for just a minute that I am a sportscaster. Sometimes they point out the obvious until I watch a game on mute. Grrr.) Anyhow - Some house phones do not need electricity - but if you have a smart new one, it just might. There's a funny old phone here in my sewing room that doesn't seem to care if the power is down. This discussion has raised a question about 911 and the cell phones. I am wondering what and where we might get if we dial 911 on the cell phone. Polly
"Jenn/Jalynne" wrote > And here in Pierce County, Washington, if you call on a cell phone, you can
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