Last call for millions?
HOW TO DECIDE ON KEEPING A LANDLINE
THE TELEPHONE landline used to be a fixture in every household but now five million are hanging up their home phone for good, often choosing to rely on their mobiles instead.
Many are tired of receiving endless calls from scammers and salespeople on their landline, with three in 10 saying the last person to phone was a nuisance caller rather someone they knew.
The proportion of scam calls has rocketed six-fold since 2017, and almost a quarter now avoid answering their landline as a result, according to new research from comparison website Uswitch.com.
Almost three in 10 older people have had a bad experience with scam and sales callers. Despite that, they remain the most loyal landline users, as nine out of 10 still have a landline.
Uswitch telecoms expert Nick Baker said if struggling with nuisance calls, register with the Telephone Preference Service by calling 0845 070 0707: “If you suspect you are being targeted by a scammer, hang up immediately.”
However, the number is not up for landlines yet. Baker said: “They continue to be a lifeline in rural communities where mobile reception can be unreliable.”
On average, households spend just five minutes a day talking on their home
phones, with chat time falling despite lockdowns.
A third only have a landline because it is necessary for having a broadband connection. “Many find it odd that they have to pay line rental in order to have broadband,” Baker added.
Most suppliers now offer broadbandonly deals for customers who do not want a landline, but availability will depend on where you live.
If you have standard ADSL broadband, delivered to 99 per cent of UK homes via BT’S Openreach’s network of copper telephone wires, you will need to pay line rental and service charges to access broadband.
Baker said you can dispense with your landline if you have access to full fibre, cable or mobile broadband in your area.
Gocompare business development manager Hannah Isitt saidvirgin Media is the only major broadband provider to have its own fibre network separate from BT’S Openreach infrastructure, and is therefore able to offer no-landline broadband.
However,virgin fibre is not available in every postcode, and you should still compare packages even if it is: “Some broadband packages with landline may still work out cheaper.”
Some providers may give you the idea that you do not have to pay for a landline to receive broadband.
“You may not have to pay them, but may still have to pay BT Openreach,” Isitt said.
Sky,virgin Media, BT andtalktalk have increased their prices by £3.03 a month on average, or £36.39 per year, affecting 24 million households.
Holly Niblett, head of digital at Comparethemarket.com, said consumer inertia is cementing the dominance of the Big Four, so fight back: “You can typically exit your contract early without a penalty charge if you act within 30 days of being notified.”
Providers often reserve their best deals for new customers. “Compare packages to get the right speed at a price that works for you,” she said.
Consider haggling, as research from Topcashback.co.uk shows broadband suppliers Sky andvirgin are most likely to offer better deals as a result.