Tech Check: Cutting the (phone) cord

Have you thought about getting rid of your home phone and switching exclusively to a mobile device? More and more people are cutting the cord, ditching their traditional home phones and going wireless.

It is just the latest evolution in telephone service that dates back to its birth.

The 1950's and 1960's saw the dream of having a telephone in the kitchen.

The 1970's ushered in the era of fancy phones.

The Baby Bells were born in the 1980's changing the way we think of home phone service.

The 1990's brought about car phones and computers tapping into the Internet.

Cell phones boomed at the turn of the millennium and with it texting.

And this decade is proving to have smart phone and tablets taking over as the primary source of communication.

But at some point during the last 25 years, people started ditching their home phone service. For many, it became a redundant bill as more and more people turned to cell phones. Ditching home phone service could save you up to $500 a year.

Although, if you haven't cut the cord already you might want to just think about keeping the service especially if your home has small children or elderly residents. It is handier to have a landline for emergencies. A home phone is just easier to track by 911 dispatchers. It also is needed for some home alarm systems.

Of course, there are alternatives to the traditional landline services popping up every day. All the major cell phone providers offer a service that makes one feel a little more at home. It allows users to connect a traditional-type phone to a cell phone. The service even allows the user to keep their old home phone number.

There are some advantages to cutting cord with the first being that wireless systems are half the price of the landline. Also, you can take the device with you, such as on a vacation, and still get home phone calls. There are also premium features such as unlimited nationwide calling and voicemail.

The disadvantages to these units are that they are not compatible with alarm systems nor can you send or receive faxes.

Let us know if you have a home phone still. Leave a comment on our post at facebook.com/FOX5Atlanta. And if you have an idea for a future Tech Check or a general comment about any of the segments leave comment at facebook.com/DougEvansFOX5.