O O Ø O O O O
Land Line
On the surface, I wouldn’t seem to have much use for a home phone. Most of the time, I just carry a cellphone. I do prefer my home phone, however, for a variety of reasons. For one, when I’m actually in the house, my cellphone calls are automatically forwarded there. Second, since I’m not a big fan of pressing hot little RF transmitters to the side of my head, the home phone offers a level of comfort that my pocket- (not person-) sized cellphone can’t touch. The handsfree features are nice, too, making use of the centralized sound system I have installed in each of my rooms.
It also helps that my land line is smart about outgoing calls. It knows all about my long distance calling plan, so when calls aren’t otherwise free, they’re routed via the Internet. Of course, this will all go away once the phone companies eliminate long distance charges, but that’s still a few years off.
Another big plus is that I don’t get hassled with unsolicited calls. If you’re not in my home address book, you have to either leave a message, or respond to a few interactive prompts to prove you’re a human being. If you do get through, your name is announced via a pleasant “Joe Schmo is calling.” rather than a harsh ring tone. If I happen to be watching TV, the show is paused, first, and your information is displayed on-screen.
Of course, phones aren’t just about talking. They’re about communication. Possibly my favourite feature of the home phone is that it does messaging; SMS to cellphones, instant messaging to any of the networks I happen to be subscribed to; even email in a pinch. There’s a pretty little interface via my TV if I don’t want squint at a little screen, and the whole unit is a fantastic universal remote—even controlling the aforementioned centralized sound system.
In fact, I was just showing-off this latter feature to my neighbour when pink elephants flew into my living room, and I woke up. The land line was canceled several minutes later.
Good riddance, Home Phone. Come back when you’re all grown up.
Kjell Wooding
August 21, 2007
OOØOOOODCCCXXXV
August 22nd, 2007 at 1:06 pm
I’m still waiting for somebody to tell me why my building intercome doesn’t work properly with my phone. I don’t have a landline, but I do have ADSL. Picking up a phone gives a fast busy signal. I got Telus to add a filter which they supposedly missed on the main phone panel in my condo, but that doesn’t appear to have solved the problem. My interom does ring and I can pick up, but it appears to drop the call pretty quickly. I can’t believe I’m the first to do this. I phoned Ghostbusters, but got an answering machine. Who do I phone now?
August 23rd, 2007 at 6:57 am
A-ha. Trick question. No-one, cuz you don’t have a phone.
Thought I would miss that one, eh?
August 23rd, 2007 at 9:13 am
ha ha ha…I do have a cell which was how I was able to call Ghostbusters.
August 23rd, 2007 at 9:39 am
So why doesn’t the intercom call the cell? That way, you can let random people into your apartment from work.
August 23rd, 2007 at 11:35 am
That’s my next plan of attack I think.
August 23rd, 2007 at 4:18 pm
So now I get to worry about you and RF transmitters! Stop making me worry!!!!!!
August 23rd, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Says the one who has nothing but cordless phones. ;)