Dave_7

New IPO and all. Why on Earth would a company invest HEAVILY (and ask investors to do so, too) in a land line business?

It may be VoIP, but it's still a landline. It's not portable. Are other countries investing in such infrastructure? I seriously doubt it.

VoIP leapfrogs the old phone system as does Cellular, only instead of using radio towers to terminate locally, it uses the net. Yes, more phones are web-enabled nowadays, but using your Vonage or Skype account over your Cell phone's internet is a bit redundant a bit, no?

The Vonage hook is that it comfortably acts like your old phone service. As more native-born-cell-phone-users mature, the existing in-born attachment to land lines will undoubtedly fade away... and thus, the draw to services like Vonage will fade with it. And as Cell coverage improves, there, too, will the land line attachment will further disolve. Unless they have some secret business plan that will knock our socks off, the Vonage days already seem numbered.

That said... I am a Vonage customer.


Dave.

Airencracken

eh, even though I use my cell phone for 90% of my calls, I know that land lines will be around for quite some time. It's a reliability issue, when the power goes out, so do the cell towers. Land lines will be around for quite some time.

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Dave_7

That's a good point. Vonage, however, is not a land line, it merely acts like one (in that it is not mobile). It relies on your internet connection for its uptime and quality of service. When your ISP is unavailable, so is your home phone when use VoIP.

Again... with that said, I am a Vonage customer.

But how many of us have friends who chose to not get a land line at their new apartment or home because they just use their Cell phone?


Dave.

Nija

The girl and I got rid of the landline when we moved in together, almost 4 years ago. The only thing we miss is being able to let people into our complex without walking to the door.

Another problem I see about getting rid of landlines: Crappy reception. At our old apartment (on the first floor of a two story building) I had zero reception unless I was near a window (and that only upgraded me to spotty). I have friends in different cities who have similar issues. Once those kinks get worked out though, I think it will be another nail in the coffin.

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LegendKiller

I just can't believe people bought this company at 17. Suckers.

smeakim

Hey I have been without a landline for almost 4 years, but I live in a metro area. I use Verizon and have never had an issue. I have been able to get a signal in rural Nebraska when we visit the wife's home. I have used my phone without romaing in the caribbean. If there is no power and my phone is dead I can use my car charger to charge the phone. There are some drawbacks, but overall the only use for a land line is for those that have to let people into their buildings or in when you live in a gated community. The only other reason is for a security system. Otherwise I don't see the need. I live in CO, why pay 35 bucks a month to have a phone through Qwest or Comcast and then another 80 a month for two cell phones. Never run out of minutes and always have a phone with me.

Kevster

Land lines will not be going away anytime in the near future, I can tell you that. Phone companies are now trying to use those lines to give you even higher-speed internet access, integrated communication and messaging services (email, voip, wireless, etc) and the next crown-jewel: IPTV. A lot of urban homes are getting fiber-to-the-home now, at least the newer ones. There is still a ton of copper out there and with the new higher-speed DSL standards out they will be even more utilized than before for delivering those services.

That said, I'm a communications engineer about to start a new job with a phone company to design and engineer new networks with those services I just mentioned. Trust me, it's going to get very interesting in the next couple of years.

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My small adventures, my fears.
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kimchicowboy

my old apartment in LA was able to get the outside callbox routed to my cell #. problem solved. and if i'm not home when UPS comes, i can still let them in remotely.

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InfiniteNothing

I can see how it might be a good deal if you used a ton of long distance but for local stuff, local land lines are really cheap if you don't get all the frills and stuff. Very useful if the power goes and you need help.

LegendKiller

Vonage stock took another drive after the Verizon lawsuit. I think Verizon read up on Al Gore's history and decided to claim the invention of VOIP.

rockets26

Started shorting this when it was at 12. Best investing decision I ever made, especially when I was so confident that I went all in. Thanks VG