For approximately 38% of households in America, the landline is a thing of the past. Each year more and more people are choosing to rely on cell phones alone for their communication needs, and canceling landline services. This isn’t surprising considering the average landline will cost around $30 per month, and many people don’t feel it’s worth that kind of money on top of their already pricy cell phone bill.
However, despite the advances that cell phones are making in the market the majority of households in this country continue to utilize the good old fashioned landline. The great news is that there is now a much cheaper way to maintain a landline, without sacrificing any of the quality and reliability: The Ooma Telo.
The Ooma Telo is a device that connects to both your high-speed internet and regular landline phone. The device costs $149, and takes less than 15 minutes to set up. There is an option to retain your current phone number if desired (for a $40 fee), or you can choose a new number for free. Once the device is connected you can cancel your previous landline service, and your phone will continue to work as usual through the internet connection. The only monthly charges are the taxes, fees, and surcharges which are nominal, and vary state to state. There is an online calculator to determine what the charges would be in your zip code, so for example zip code 55434 would have a $4.60 per month charge and zip code 06518 would have a $3.82 per month charge. The phone allows for unlimited nationwide calling and also has voicemail, call waiting, and caller ID, as well as the ability to call 911.
Our household has used the Ooma Telo for the past six months, and we are so glad we switched! We were able to exchange our $37 landline bill for a much more palatable $3.80 bill. The call quality is unchanged from the landline, and the other phone features are identical to what we had with our previous carrier. Even with paying the extra fee to retain our previous number, the phone has already paid for itself and will continue to save us for years to come.
One of the best ways for a household to save money is to shrink the bills that recur month after month. The landline is an excellent example of where some fat can be trimmed. First consider if your landline is still necessary, and if it is consider switching to the Ooma Telo to slash your monthly bill.
Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author, and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of her employer or any other person or entity.
