Ditching The Landline - Seeking Advice for The Communicationally Challenged

TooSerious2 on 20/07/2023 - 12:36
Last edited 20/07/2023 - 12:51 by 1 other user

I live in a communicationally challenged location where the phone landline is still a bit of a lifeline. But it's costing $50 a month and I'd like to get rid of it.

I want to keep our home number — I think it's important to have a collective house phone, as well as personal mobiles.

I've got some questions on quality, provider and equipment so I'm seeking your help. I have StarLink. The only other choice is SkyMuster. We have no mobile coverage, very poor radio signal and TV is via satellite. All this and 2 hours to a capital city - Brisbane.

QUALITY

Voip over SkyMuster is terrible, unusable in my opinion. My reading suggests that has to do with latency and that StarLink's 20-60ms usual service should be fine. Is this correct?

What about voice quality? Does it depend on your ISP or voip provider? Is it better than mobile over wifi - in my experience with StarLink+Woolies, clear but unnatural and a bit tinny. Does it come down to the equipment? If so, the ATA or the phones?

PROVIDER

Reading here and on Whirlpool suggests the presumptively named Australian Phone Company's standard plan and the not-so-reassuringly named Crazytel PAYG plan would each be about $4 a month for our number, making one call a day.

As pricing is so close, are there other factors to influence choice? Quality of transmission, business services (which I don't think I'll need)?

Are there any ramifications to leaving Telstra and porting my number that I'm not thinking about? I have a 10-hour battery supply for blackouts.

EQUIPMENT

I need an ATA. This $29 Vtech model seems cheap and gives me a choice of their cheapish handsets. Or is this a cut-price ride to crap phone calls?

Crazy offers a $92 Grandstream 2-port ATA for $82 with their details in it already. This looks a fair price for the product. Would I notice a difference?

I will need to replace my dying DECT phones. Is this the better place to spend money?

I'm not complaining about my situation. I love it. But I'd like to cut this bill. I'm also assuming that plenty of people do this in the city - although many I know rely only on mobile. Thanks in advance for the education.

Mobile

Comments

urahara on 20/07/2023 - 12:44

+2

vowifi is supported over Telstra/Boost , though the availability maybe internet dependent.
I haven't tested vowifi over starlink

I want to keep our home number — I think it's important to have a collective house phone, as well as personal mobiles.
Used to have that back in 2010 but now parents own a mobile and so do I
- TooSerious2 on 20/07/2023 - 12:54
  
  Looking for VOIP. We have vowifi with Woolies (Telstra wholesale).
  
  I like the family phone. I think I talk less to my dad now that he and mum have ditched their landline for their own mobiles. Don't want the same to happen to me.
  - Lord Fart Bucket on 20/07/2023 - 12:59
    
    +4
    
    I talk less to my dad now
    
    Calling on mobile/whatsapp/skype/facetime not an option? I don't think you can blame the fact they ditched the landline?
    - TooSerious2 on 20/07/2023 - 13:03
      
      Bit of an excuse I know. But I used to call the house and speak to both of them. Now I call mum's mobile mostly and just speak to her.
      - try2bhelpful on 20/07/2023 - 14:26
        
        +2
        
        @TooSerious2: If they are together you can put it on speaker and talk to both of them. Or you could ring your dad.
      - Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 20/07/2023 - 16:42
        
        +2
        
        @TooSerious2:
        
        But I used to call the house and speak to both of them.
        
        Did they pass the handset between them? Why can't they do that with a mobile?
        
        TooSerious2 on 20/07/2023 - 18:35
        
        +1
        
        @Typical16-bitEnjoyer: They do pass one mobile, sometimes, but not as much. I don't really like passing my mobile to others, even my family.
        
        I feel like I'm shouting at the clouds about wanting a "home" number, not just a collection of individuals' numbers. But it's … different.
        
        Mechz on 20/07/2023 - 23:41
        
        +1
        
        @TooSerious2: You sound like my parents except their excuse is it might cost their friends more to call them. Even though everyone has free national mobile calls no matter how bad your mobile plan is.
        
        You know you can lock the phone while on a call then just put it on speaker for them.
GG57 on 20/07/2023 - 12:59

All this and only 2 hours to a capital city - Brisbane.

Fixed that for you.

The lack of some infrastructure outside of the capital cities is ridiculous.
- RockyRaccoon on 21/07/2023 - 08:24
  
  The OP’s 10 hour battery back up should tell you there’s a bit more to it than just the 2 hours from Brisbane.
AustriaBargain on 20/07/2023 - 13:12

+3

I think it's important to have a collective house phone

Just curious, but why? Throwback to your childhood?
TooSerious2 on 20/07/2023 - 13:17

A bit, I guess. I like it when our son, family and some friends call "us" and the phone gets passed between 2 adults and 3 kids. This doesn't seem to happen with mobiles - everyone tends to keep their device to themselves.
- pharkurnell on 20/07/2023 - 16:07
  
  +6
  
  Fix it. Pass the mobile around, they work the same… or put it on speaker phone and all have a chat…
  
  Theres your solution.. or am I missing something?
  - SlickMick on 21/07/2023 - 09:03
    
    +1
    
    I don't think OP is looking for a solution. It's right in front of their face and everyone is telling them. A mobile is more convenient to pass around, it's at equally suited for speaker-enabled multi-person calls. Op thinks they still need a landline but can't justify why.
Downvoter on 20/07/2023 - 13:47

You’re not a blockie are you?
- TooSerious2 on 20/07/2023 - 14:10
  
  +1
  
  Not really. I live on a block of land in the bush. But it's nice land, with a pretty nice house, running water … not much hardship. I'm too soft for that.
follow on 20/07/2023 - 16:24

+1

Crazytel 35c/month National DIDs
https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/37x8qwz9
Switchblade88 on 20/07/2023 - 16:28

+1

You've already got Starlink, so might as well try Crazytel for $1.

Any cheap and cheerful router with an ATA would work fine - like the Telstra Smart Gateways you find everywhere for like $25 - but as a trial you could always use a VoIP app on your mobile instead and not pay for any hardware. Heck, if you set it all up right then everyone in the house can have the landline available on hardware that's already in your pocket, and they'll all ring for incoming calls at the same time!
- TooSerious2 on 20/07/2023 - 16:46
  
  Ta. Will try a voip app. Any recommendations?
  
  And should a router advertise that it's ATA? Or do most do it? My tp link archer a6 doesn't say so I've assumed not.
  - Switchblade88 on 20/07/2023 - 17:01
    
    If it's got plugs for old-fashioned phones to plug in, next to all the ethernet ports, then it should work. Most on Facebook or Gumtree won't be advertised as such, and it's not as common as it was 10 years ago on many ADSL2+ modems.
    
    I wouldn't be buying a router brand new, nor a dedicated ATA especially if you need new handsets anyway! I'm out of the loop on the best VOIP apps, but Crazytel has their own Android app for sure which should do the job just fine for trying out… If you get bad performance then it's still more likely your Starlink connection rather than the phone app anyway.
    - TooSerious2 on 20/07/2023 - 18:29
      
      I went to sign up but need SMS verification. It will have to wait til I'm in town on Saturday. And so it goes :)
      
      No phone plugs on the modem. I'll try the app for quality and explore from there. I think I'll end up with a ATA and dedicated handsets if it works well.
Sunshines bright on 21/07/2023 - 08:00

https://vonex.com.au/residential 9.95. We actually signed up with my net phone where we have zero charges but do not receive calls and no phone number free local calls and cheap per min international but seems they sold to vonex. Not sure currently what is happening with our account laughing out loud! :-) as I have not used the phone for months. Have no idea how I get charged for international calls as I just now learned we must be with vonex???
trankillity on 21/07/2023 - 09:01

+1

Normally my parents aren't really on board with tech solutions that I try and put in place for them. But one thing that they've really enjoyed is the Google Nest Hub Max that I got them. They use it all the time to make video calls to their grandkids and vice versa. Because it's a WiFi device, you don't actually need to worry about landline then. So as others have suggested, maybe try getting them onto Google Meet (previously Duo) as it can do both voice and video calls.
- Msfrugal on 21/07/2023 - 16:13
  
  Hi. I missed your reply and wrote something similar Re google speakers below. Delighted your parents discovered the ease of communication with grandkids and vice versa. I didn’t mention video options as concentrated on just the voice aspect of a landline. My parents both used to using Skype/FaceTime for years for video calls so we didn’t do video via duo so had forgotten.
  My dad would listen to a couple of radio stations at different times so bri g able to sit I. His chair and not ha e to get up to change channel on an actual radio he LOVED! Plus the sound quality from nest minis is great. He really enjoyed having a google so much.
azero on 21/07/2023 - 09:23

+1

If the phone is a lifeline where you live, I would make sure I have 2 different connections.

You wouldn't want your single comms link down in when you need to make an emergency call.
- TooSerious2 on 21/07/2023 - 22:37
  
  Yeah, "lifeline" is probably overegging the custard. But no mobile really as backup.
Colin2905 on 21/07/2023 - 10:02

We have no mobile coverage

You said that you're using Woolworths Mobile, which is Telstra Wholesale. Have you at least checked the Telstra Retail (ie; Telstra themselves, and Boost) coverage map for potential coverage? How far from Telstra coverage are you? Perhaps a Cel-Fi unit, a tall strategically-placed mast and a high-gain antenna would work? (That's what some relatives on a property in Sassafras, NSW resorted to.)
- TooSerious2 on 21/07/2023 - 22:39
  
  A couple of neighbours further up the valley get this, although one has switched to StarLink. We have two hills — we like to think of them as mountains — in exactly the wrong places.
md333 on 21/07/2023 - 12:22

+1

I've got a cisco SPA112 2 port phone adapter sitting around from when I still thought it was useful to have a land line. You are welcome to have it if you want to pay to have it posted from Perth. Probably heaps of unused unwanted ones closer to you though.
It worked fine, but we found almost all calls to the landline were spam/telemarketing, so better off without it. Unfortunately starting to get as bad on mobile numbers, but at least the mobile has better tools to filter them out.
We have actually got an old phone on a cheap pre paid sim that stays permanently in the house as a house phone replacement. Mainly to be able to call the kids when they have their phones on silent all the time.
YesPleaseThankYou on 21/07/2023 - 13:10

+1

If VoWIFI works with your current set-up, this is your answer: https://www.vodafone.com.au/support/device/mobile-landline

You'll need to port your mobile number to Vodafone to then add on Vodafone Mobile Landline.
- TooSerious2 on 21/07/2023 - 22:48
  
  That could work, but $5 a month and I'd have to sign up with Vodaphone postpaid. I'll keep an eye out for the service from another carrier.
Msfrugal on 21/07/2023 - 15:57

+1

Hi. Throwing out an unusual but possible solution depending on the use of the landline .
If it’s used primarily for family calls and they all have MOBILE numbers (or even 1 person living in the home of family members has a mobile ) and you’ve got good internet - then then the use of google nest mini devices - may well work.

To explain:
I introduced the google nest mini to my mum and dad - who lived alone in separate houses - when I was living with them during CoVid. It was great for streaming Radio/weather/alarms/information etc. using just voice. Both in 80’s and both loved it.

What I learned when setting them up was that google speakers can be linked as extension of a mobile phone using what is now called Google Meet app. (Formerly was google duo) .

This meant that we could call each other using “hey google call dad/mum/Clare (me) whilst sitting at the kitchen table or from bedroom/lounge as I got them 2 devices each . The speaker would make the call.

It was fantastic. Pretty much every day used it to speak to my dad at either breakfast or lunch or whenever, and vice versa.

Their Google nest Sat on the kitchen table.

None of us had to get up and get either mobile or landline. The nest would ring … we’d tap it to answer and when finished tap nest to end call.

We could walk around making breakfast/looking up paperwork etc. whilst talking, and for my dad it was excellent as he could hear clearly on nest speaker than when using landline handset. He was deaf.

Because both the nest and the mobile ring (the meet app rings on mobile) at the same time then the call could be answered on his mobile if dad was out for a walk (I spent most time with my mum).
Mum would use nest in her bedroom to call me if I was at shops and she remembered she needed something. Again she didn’t have to go look for a phone. She had her 2nd next on her bedside table. She would also use nest to call and speak to me when she knew I was in kitchen as google speakers can call each other in same house. Extremely useful!

It’s difficult to explain just how well this worked for us. ….. if we 3 were talking and needed one of my siblings to join conversation I’d go get my mobile and phone the sibling on speaker.
Then there’d be 4 way conversation happening clearly between 2 houses in 1 country and a3rd house in USA….

An additional bonus was that I knew if mum or dad happened to fall and need help that as long , they could call out “hey google call mum/dad/Clare “ they’d have been speaking to somebody without lying on floor waiting to be discovered. Huge bonus.

You can set the listening sensitivity to highest setting on the nest so it will pick up voice from farther away. We tested it throughout house and worked. Edit : that was with 2 speakers in house. At least 1 picked up the i struction

This will hopefully make sense - my apologies if not clearly explained but doing my best!

Things to note. You do have to set up “google home app” on your mobile and download the “meet” app and then your family members have to also download “meet” app.
You do have to have internet.

Other family don’t have to have a google speaker in their houses BUT if they do, and there are grandchild there, then the grandkids can just “call” their grandparents by themselves if the mobile ph attached to the speaker has the contact in as “nanna/pop/grandad “ etc. They just say to the speaker “hey google call nana” and bingo nanna’s speaker calls. The parent doesn’t need to be home.

The family member calls you on linked mobile via the “meet app” to get the speaker(s) ringing as well as the mobile it’s linked to.

The ease of it is what makes it so great. You can be making dimmer and chatting to your mum/dad/sister etc .

There is also a second or two delay from “answer tap” before voice heard ! If you tap again you’ll end call !( just practice).
Nest Lights flashing when calling white - changes to steady blue when connected .

The added bonus of it being a safety device if someone on their own falls is not generally something that would be thought about.

All the best and please let us know what works.

P.s. if this helps anyone do pm me if you’ve questions
- TooSerious2 on 21/07/2023 - 22:52
  
  Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I'm going to look into this for mum and dad. Do you know if these work with/bluetooth link with hearing aids?
  
  But I'm still stuck in my head on a home phone substitute. We live in a very open house. I don't really want to talk to everyone in front of everyone all the time.
  - Msfrugal on 01/08/2023 - 09:30
    
    Hi . Don’t know what happened as I’d typed a long reply but it not showing. Just came to check how you going and saw no answer (could be I got distracted and didn’t get to hit the post comment)
    I know my dad had his hearing aid paired with his iph - so I’m assuming that yes - because the Meet app in on the iph that it would “ring” in his ear as well as the mini .
    I remember dad said the Bluetooth of hearing aids to iph meant he’d to change the batteries more often.
    Please let me know if it’s helped .again I’m so sorry the reply is typed before didn’t show.
    Cc

Ditching The Landline - Seeking Advice for The Communicationally Challenged

QUALITY

PROVIDER

EQUIPMENT

Comments

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