Looking for a phone system

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  • leehljp
    Just me
    • Dec 2002
    • 8429
    • Tunica, MS
    • BT3000/3100

    Looking for a phone system

    Telephone systems?

    My wife and I have our own cell phones and we also have a “land Line” in our house. We changed the ATT land line to Comcast internet provider a few years combining our TV, Internet and phone into one. I am about ready to ditch the Comcast stuff and go only with the internet-only aspect of Comcast. In order to do that I need to do something for our “land line”. I want to do away with it. However, I would like to keep my number, and I know how to do that.

    So my question is: Is there a system in which one can have a single “cell phone number" type of set up that can be accessed in different parts of the house? (multiple phones like in a land line, but over a cell phone setup?

    Cell phones (as I know it) are individual cell phones. Got that. And many older houses ( with land lines) have three or four phones (or more) through out the house so that you can answer any one, depending on the room you are in when it rings. I would like to do this through a single cell phone (and number). IS there a wireless system like this in existence the works on multiple room phones from a cell phone system? Seems like it should be fairly easy.

    Our house is 80+ years old and the existing phone lines are deteriorating. With two add ons to this house in the 80 years, re-wiring would be an expensive and tight crawling under the house. A cell phone system that would be answerable by stationary wireless phones in 3 to 4 different rooms would be ideal. I think this may be done in the business world but what about in consumer homes?

    Thanks for your insight.

    Hank Lee

    BTW. Comcast is much better than ATT in our area. And they are the only games in our little town.
    Last edited by leehljp; 10-06-2017, 10:43 AM.
    Hank Lee

    Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!
  • radhak
    Veteran Member
    • Apr 2006
    • 3058
    • Miramar, FL
    • Right Tilt 3HP Unisaw

    #2
    Maybe I got your problem-statement wrong, but the way I read it, this is a simple and common issue.

    I think you want the cell-phone convenience, but a landline robustness. I don't know about others, but my cell phone coverage inside my home is spotty at best.

    I think, instead of thinking cell phones, what you need is a cordless-phone set for the instrument, with a VoIP setup for the service, and I have just the recommendations for you!

    The last two cordless phone systems I bought were the Panasonic KX-TGE463S and TGE445B. Both work great for distance and battery life, and I have not see much hindrance in terms of static. (I need the second set for my work phone).

    Then, for the VoIP, I recommend OOMA. It uses your broadband internet and gives you a VoIP connection. What makes it better than Vonage or Comcast Voip, etc, is that you don't pay anything for the monthly service. Once you pay the $77 to buy this router, you only need to pay the FCC taxes every month, which comes to around $4.57 a month for me. That's it. Nothing more. Since you have an older number to port, you should purchase the router from http://www.ooma.com itself, and go thru their porting service.

    (As a side benefit, if you go out of town or even out of country, you could just unplug the Ooma router and take it with you; plug it into a wifi connection anywhere in the world, and you have your own number locally. A friend moved back to India 4 years ago, and still receives his 'US number' in India with Ooma!)

    Anyway - these two things, the cordless phone kit and Ooma should give you all you want. We put all the handsets in different rooms, with the 'base' connected to ooma (which is connected to your internet), and pick up whichever is handy and closest. It works as a landline, and for much cheaper.
    It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
    - Aristotle

    Comment

    • radhak
      Veteran Member
      • Apr 2006
      • 3058
      • Miramar, FL
      • Right Tilt 3HP Unisaw

      #3
      In case I was not clear: the way cordless phones work, is they ride your wifi connection, instead of the wired cables existing in your house. So if you don't already have it, you will need a wifi router (but I'm sure you have that). As for the deteriorating phone-cables, you could just ignore them this point on.
      It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
      - Aristotle

      Comment

      • leehljp
        Just me
        • Dec 2002
        • 8429
        • Tunica, MS
        • BT3000/3100

        #4
        That makes good sense. I like the "riding the wifi connection. The past consumer grade of "buy a phone with two wireless" ones - we did not like because the batteries (old nicads) lost their ability to stay charged after 18 months or so, and replacement was not easy. Those you mentioned hopefully have longer lasting rechargeable batteries.

        I knew there were ways to do this, but I didn't know where to start. If others have other suggestions, I am listening. This one seems good.

        As to the porting of the number, it is almost an absolute to have the new company do that or the number will be lost!
        Hank Lee

        Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

        Comment

        • radhak
          Veteran Member
          • Apr 2006
          • 3058
          • Miramar, FL
          • Right Tilt 3HP Unisaw

          #5
          Yes, don't cancel your number before porting. Ooma does that neatly.

          The batteries are rechargeable AAA that last many years, and then can be replaced easily too.
          It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
          - Aristotle

          Comment

          • atgcpaul
            Veteran Member
            • Aug 2003
            • 4055
            • Maryland
            • Grizzly 1023SLX

            #6
            We used to use VTech phones like these where I could pair the base unit to our 2 cell phones via Bluetooth. Then if we got a call on our cell phones (we ditched land lines years ago), all the VTech phones that were paired to the cell phones would ring just like they were normal landline phones. It was also nice because the VTech phones could download your cell phone's directory. My wife could also page me in the shop through the phones.



            We stopped using the phones a while ago, though. I don't bring my phone into the bedroom and when I'm at home, my smartphone isn't far away so there really isn't the need for the other phones.

            Comment

            • Condoman44
              Established Member
              • Nov 2013
              • 178
              • CT near Norwich
              • Ryobi BT3000

              #7
              I know my cell provider Consumer Cellular sells a device that makes a cell number become your house phone. I believe it uses the existing home phone equipment.

              Also, maybe Panasonic sells a portable system that uses your cell phone Bluetooth connection to connect to the portable phone so it can be answered in the house.

              Comment

              • capncarl
                Veteran Member
                • Jan 2007
                • 3564
                • Leesburg Georgia USA
                • SawStop CTS

                #8
                Slightly off your subject.but still revelant, if you do go with a phone system with multiple handsets, make sure the have a call block feature. We recently purchased a set of 4 Panasonic wireless phones specifically because of call block feature. Dang it works good. All the annoying political, insurance etc calls, 1 push of the call block button and they are history!

                Comment

                • LinuxRandal
                  Veteran Member
                  • Feb 2005
                  • 4889
                  • Independence, MO, USA.
                  • bt3100

                  #9
                  My cell phone doesn't do bluetooth, otherwise with as often as I am at Sam's for work, I would have bought one of those multiple handset cordless phones that connect to my cell.
                  2G seemed to have better reception, inside of my house, but that went away. (pretty much have to go outside now), so that will have some limits.
                  That said, I am and have been looking for a few years, at both phones that use sim cards, as well as devices like (amazon id number) B00HJM6K7E, which I can only describe as some sort of PBX gateway, that allows you to use both cell and VOIP access.
                  I haven't pulled the trigger, simply because I don't know anyone who has actually done it. (most just get everyone cell phones)
                  She couldn't tell the difference between the escape pod, and the bathroom. We had to go back for her.........................Twice.

                  Comment

                  • d_meister
                    Established Member
                    • Feb 2009
                    • 184
                    • La Conner, WA.
                    • BT3000

                    #10
                    We've used magicJack for many years. I think it's the cheapest VOIP of all, and as reliable as any that depend on internet. $35 a year and plug it into your router and any phone system, and you're done. Porting a number is extra, though. magicJack plugged into the Vtech (or similar) that atgcpaul suggests, and all of your requirements are met. Ours is plugged into a 3 handset system with voicemail and works great, with the base station collecting voicemails. If internet goes down, magicJack collects voicemails and can be played over the computer. Long distance to the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico AND the U.S. Virgin Islands are all free. I have no financial interest or relatives working for magicJack, by the way. Just a happy user.
                    Learn how VoIP calling (Voice Over Internet Protocol) works and start making free calls today. Learn more about VoIP and how magicJack can help you save!

                    Comment

                    • leehljp
                      Just me
                      • Dec 2002
                      • 8429
                      • Tunica, MS
                      • BT3000/3100

                      #11
                      Thanks for the replies.

                      The land line - I would love to cut it. I don't want to use the existing equipment due to the phone wiring system. This house has been wired and re-wired at least 3 times for land wire phones. OLD cable, 40+ year old cable and 25 year old cable to phones in all three bed rooms. The phones go out on occasion and then in a few hours they are back on, and that is to due to storms, but old wiring. However, I do want to keep the same number that has been associated with my family for 54 years.

                      Pairing a Cell phone to a base unit that can use up to 4 room phones would be ideal. The advantage of the land line is that when the electricity goes off due to storms (about 2 to 3 times a year) land lines still work. Cell phones work too, but internet doesn't! If a new cell (with the ported old land line number) is paired to a a base unit, - even with a power outage, the cell will still work. That is what I am looking for! And I can let go of this house wiring! YEA!
                      Hank Lee

                      Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

                      Comment

                      • Condoman44
                        Established Member
                        • Nov 2013
                        • 178
                        • CT near Norwich
                        • Ryobi BT3000

                        #12
                        We have one regular dial wall phone for use when the power is out and that is not often. The reason I have a land line is the no power needed on site and 911 will know where you are. Also, it is real cheap for retired AT&T folks.

                        Comment

                        • d_meister
                          Established Member
                          • Feb 2009
                          • 184
                          • La Conner, WA.
                          • BT3000

                          #13
                          A land line will work during power outages IF you have a stand-alone legacy phone like Condoman44 uses or a stand-by power supply for the multiple handset base station type. The 911 address is registered to your number when you sign up with magicJack and likely other VOIP's.

                          Comment

                          • jussi
                            Veteran Member
                            • Jan 2007
                            • 2162

                            #14
                            Lee my landline has bluetooth so if my cellphone rings I can answer it through my landline. It has 4 satellite phones + the main phone which has the answering machine and is the only one connected to the phone line. I have to double check but I think the cell phone has to been in bluetooth range of the the main phone but maybe it will work if it's range of the satellites as well. I don't use it often so I'm not sure. You can also make calls on the landline using your cell phone minutes.
                            I reject your reality and substitute my own.

                            Comment

                            • leehljp
                              Just me
                              • Dec 2002
                              • 8429
                              • Tunica, MS
                              • BT3000/3100

                              #15
                              Originally posted by jussi
                              Lee my landline has bluetooth so if my cellphone rings I can answer it through my landline. It has 4 satellite phones + the main phone which has the answering machine and is the only one connected to the phone line. I have to double check but I think the cell phone has to been in bluetooth range of the the main phone but maybe it will work if it's range of the satellites as well. I don't use it often so I'm not sure. You can also make calls on the landline using your cell phone minutes.
                              My house is wired for land line but it has 25 and 40+ year old lines that have been spliced and are aging. I am trying to get out of and off of the land line wires because I do not relish crawling around under a 2400 sq ft house re-wireing into 85 year old walls. I used to look forward to this, but at 70, I suddenly lost interest in the maintenance required IN walls and UNDER the floor. I do still get into the attic.
                              Hank Lee

                              Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

                              Comment

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