911 question
sewerurchin
Newbie

I am thinking of cancelling my landline service.  Does Verizon offer a plan that only allows 911 calls?

TIA

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Re: 911 question
acraftylady
Specialist - Level 2

@sewerurchin wrote:

I am thinking of cancelling my landline service.  Does Verizon offer a plan that only allows 911 calls?

TIA



I don't know but any cell phone as long as it's charged you can call 911 for free from, don't need to have service on it, just need an old phone lying around and charged up.  Here they give old phones to women in abusive relationships so they can call 911 if need be.  We cancled the land line 2yrs ago and had the number of 20yrs ported to my cell and I haven't looked back.  We hardly had any calls and were using the cells with texting more and not using the hone phone so it worked for us.    Mary

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Re: 911 question
djb5
Contributor - Level 3

great idea craftylady - I didn't realize one could have their home phone number re-assigned to cell phone! Thank you.

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Re: 911 question
acraftylady
Specialist - Level 2

@djb wrote:

great idea craftylady - I didn't realize one could have their home phone number re-assigned to cell phone! Thank you.



As far as I know any number can be ported.  We had verizon for home phone and verizon for cells so made for a very easy process.  Just a note though about 3 months after that I couldn't google us and find us listed in the local phone book since we didn't[ have a landl l ine any more and we were alwasy listed.  I could probably call the phone book and get us added back but I never bothered since we don't have a business or anything.  Mary

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Re: 911 question
djb5
Contributor - Level 3

Thanks Mary, I'm still fussing about my options. Truth is that I've been concerned ever since I switched to FiOS and included my phone service in the bundle (only today was switched to the Digital, but have had FiOS phone service for a few years). This new switch has just renewed my concern about 911 calls should there be an emergency. I have always maintained one non-cordless phone to be sure I'd have a working phone in case of a disaster (i.e. no power or cell access). A battery that lasts about 8 hrs (or so, not sure exactly how long) doesn't seem adequate.  I just feel vulnerable ...

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Re: 911 question
acraftylady
Specialist - Level 2

@djb wrote:

Thanks Mary, I'm still fussing about my options. Truth is that I've been concerned ever since I switched to FiOS and included my phone service in the bundle (only today was switched to the Digital, but have had FiOS phone service for a few years). This new switch has just renewed my concern about 911 calls should there be an emergency. I have always maintained one non-cordless phone to be sure I'd have a working phone in case of a disaster (i.e. no power or cell access). A battery that lasts about 8 hrs (or so, not sure exactly how long) doesn't seem adequate.  I just feel vulnerable ...



Don't blame you at all, you have to do your homework and decide what's best for your.  I can tell you that friends here have time warner phone and there is no battery back up with that so if power goes out for a few hours phone is gone too.  I am in Buffalo NY and 5yrs ago we had that freaky October storm with the snow and ice and leaves still on the tress so it took power lines out.  We had no home service for 5 days due to mother nature so thank goodness we had the cells.  We had a gas generator to charge the cells and keep the fridge running.

I know for us there is me, my husband and my son 1 1/2hrs away at college and we were using the cells more since it was free calling cell to cell and we had texting and the landline was hardly getting used so was a waste of money.  I don't miss it at all because now when I go on vacation I don't have to call home for messages and people can get me where ever I am. 

Now my brother in AZ cancled his landline before us but didn't have the number ported and that worked for him but I didn't want to have to call the bank, insurance and such and think of everything I had to give the new number too.  Mary

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Re: 911 question
djb5
Contributor - Level 3

Well, truthfully I've only experienced two power outages of any duration (and both were less than a day) in many many years, but we did lose FiOS service for about a full day or longer in the short time I've had FiOS. I don't have to worry about those winter storms, just earthquakes and tsunamis, lol! Unfortunately my cell signal is weak so not so good for protracted phone calls. At least now I know all the options and limitations and will just have to make the best decision. All these phone changes are one of the few technology things I haven't been pleased with --- I'm generally an early adopter, but I do like to feel "safe"

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