We thought the future would bring flying cars, fingerprint-based front door locks, every day automatically lacing shoes, and hoverboards. Unfortunately, Back to the Future only gave us one, debatably two, of those things. So far, our modern-day hover boards don’t really float, and self-lacing shoes are so expensive the only people seen wearing them really have been Michael J. Fox himself.
We thought the future would bring flying cars, fingerprint-based front door locks, every day automatically lacing shoes, and hoverboards. Unfortunately, Back to the Future only gave us one, debatably two, of those things. So far, our modern-day hover boards don’t really float, and self-lacing shoes are so expensive the only people seen wearing them really have been Michael J. Fox himself.
While Nike might have a model for computerized shoelaces, the rest of us have been twiddling our thumbs to do it ourselves. What these modern times have brought us are handheld computers that can sometimes go in our pockets and travel with us wherever we go. We can browse YouTube whenever we want, yell at celebrities for no good reason, and for a short-lived but thrill-filled time, catch Pokémon with the flick of a finger and a touch screen no wider than our hands. Sometimes we can even call people from these devices! It’s so easy, many households have forgone the whole idea of having a landline phone when everyone seems to have their cell somewhere on their person. So, what is the purpose of having a landline? Do you need to offer a landline to your renter?
While Nike might have a model for computerized shoelaces, the rest of us have been twiddling our thumbs to do it ourselves. What these modern times have brought us are handheld computers that can sometimes go in our pockets and travel with us wherever we go. We can browse YouTube whenever we want, yell at celebrities for no good reason, and for a short-lived but thrill-filled time, catch Pokémon with the flick of a finger and a touch screen no wider than our hands. Sometimes we can even call people from these devices! It’s so easy, many households have forgone the whole idea of having a landline phone when everyone seems to have their cell somewhere on their person. So, what is the purpose of having a landline? Do you need to offer a landline to your renter?
What good does a landline offer?
Emergency Calls
Here’s something a lot of people do not like to think about: what is your plan during an emergency? With fires raging and hurricanes storming, there can be long stretches of time in which one is without power. That means you can’t charge your phone, and without a backup plan, you will be unable to contact people. Having a landline with the ole copper wiring gives many people the chance for a decent back up plan. Sure, you can’t call an Uber from a landline, but you can call 911 for help. That’s enough to assuage a lot of peoples worries and give them peace of mind when the power goes out.
What good does a landline offer?
Emergency Calls
Here’s something a lot of people do not like to think about: what is your plan during an emergency? With fires raging and hurricanes storming, there can be long stretches of time in which one is without power. That means you can’t charge your phone, and without a backup plan, you will be unable to contact people. Having a landline with the ole copper wiring gives many people the chance for a decent back up plan. Sure, you can’t call an Uber from a landline, but you can call 911 for help. That’s enough to assuage a lot of peoples worries and give them peace of mind when the power goes out.
Lack of Service
2020 has taught a lot of people about the Digital Divide: not all service is created equal. Internet is one thing, but also, many cell towers just don’t care to reach less-populated areas. If your property isn’t smack dab in the middle of some grand city, there is the chance that, depending on the phone plan, potential tenants may find that they are unreachable in that area.
People don’t want to live on a property where Mom can’t call them. By keeping a landline around, you can promise that, their connection to the outside world is still assured. Can you hear me now? Good.
Lack of Service
2020 has taught a lot of people about the Digital Divide: not all service is created equal. Internet is one thing, but also, many cell towers just don’t care to reach less-populated areas. If your property isn’t smack dab in the middle of some grand city, there is the chance that, depending on the phone plan, potential tenants may find that they are unreachable in that area.
People don’t want to live on a property where Mom can’t call them. By keeping a landline around, you can promise that, their connection to the outside world is still assured. Can you hear me now? Good.
Security
Hacking someone’s cellular is all the rage, but have you heard of hacking a landline? Yeah, it’s not quite your problem if your tenant has a less than secure cell phone, but it is your business to provide safety, and that can be done via a landline. Some security plans offer an alarm system through the landline’s wiring. If your property is meant to be offering safety to others, telling them that there is a landline available for a security system can be a vital play. Some applicants may even find it a deal breaker if you don’t have that option.
There are a lot of reasons that people go without a landline. Maybe it’s more convenient for them, or maybe they’ve just forgotten about the concept all together. That doesn’t mean you should purposefully leave it behind.
Security
Hacking someone’s cellular is all the rage, but have you heard of hacking a landline? Yeah, it’s not quite your problem if your tenant has a less than secure cell phone, but it is your business to provide safety, and that can be done via a landline. Some security plans offer an alarm system through the landline’s wiring. If your property is meant to be offering safety to others, telling them that there is a landline available for a security system can be a vital play. Some applicants may even find it a deal breaker if you don’t have that option.
There are a lot of reasons that people go without a landline. Maybe it’s more convenient for them, or maybe they’ve just forgotten about the concept all together. That doesn’t mean you should purposefully leave it behind.
2 Replies to “Is a Landline Worth all The Trouble In 2020?”
The newer alarms do not require a Landline, they have a built in cell phone. That works well in the city. In the country or where cellular reception is not that good, then a landline would be the solution. Unfortunately landlines in these isolated area are all exposed and can easily be tampered with. I guess the cell phone or landline would not offer too much safety in rural areas.
Thank you for your insight! You listed the pros & cons of landlines better than I ever could haha.