If you’re considering ditching your landline for a more mobile experience, there are a few steps to take before getting rid of your phone. Whether you’re running a business or want to get rid of your landline for the convenience of a cell phone, there are many benefits to shutting down your home or business landline. It’s becoming increasingly common for people to ditch their landlines in favor of a cellular network.
Check Your Number
If you are shutting down a landline, you’ll want to ensure you have access to your number. That’s important because you’ll have to port it to a new provider, similar to transferring a mobile number. That means you must ensure that your new service supports the porting process. Once done, you can use your old number with the new one. If you cannot do that, you can also find your number by checking it through your cellular carrier. Some cell networks have unique shortcodes allowing you to fit a number instantly. This method can be advantageous if you use a feature phone or can’t access the internet.
Contact Your Service Provider
Before shutting down your landline, contact your service provider to determine how your service will be affected. Phone and broadband companies have been working on replacing the landline network with a new system that uses the internet to make calls. Your provider will let you know when the change is complete and how it will affect your service. They will also tell you about any equipment that relies on the PSTN (public switched telephone network) that may not work when your landline is replaced. If you have a home telecare device or personal alarm, you must ensure it can still be used when your landline is replaced. Your provider should give you a free resilience solution to ensure your device can be used in an emergency, such as when there is a power cut.
Check Your Bill
The best way to see if your landline service will continue is to check your bill. If it isn’t, consider a new service. You can port your number to a service like Google Voice, which will forward calls to your cell phone without signing up for a separate service. However, you should also check to see if the company you’re considering signing up with currently offers the best landline service deals. A quick search online should reveal the best providers in your area. Call them during regular business hours to find out if you need clarification.
Check Your Connection
VOIP (voice over internet protocol) landlines, like those offered by internet service providers and third-party providers, use the same network infrastructure to provide phone and internet service. Most people rely on their landlines to keep their phones running during a power outage, so it’s essential to be sure your connection stays up and working. If your connection isn’t stable, it could be due to a physical problem such as bad jacks or faulty wiring. Look for signs of damage, such as kinks or complex twisting, and try swapping out the cables to see if that solves your problem. If your connection isn’t stable, it may be time to call a network specialist or technician. These folks are trained to identify the cause of problems like packet loss, jitter, or other network issues that cause internet-based programs to misbehave. They’ll be able to troubleshoot your issues and fix them for you.
