Landline Home Phone without nbn?

jolee3 on 10/07/2022 - 00:08

Not sure if this belongs 'Internet' category, but it seemed the closest one available.

My parents currently have nbn with their home phone landline included on VoIP for free, but the problem with nbn there is that it slows to a crawl every time there is heavy rain. 5G Home is available at their address so I am looking to switching them over.

Is there any way I can keep their landline for any less than ~$30 a month? Most landline plans seem to be attached to nbn plans, and the handful of standalone ones that I have googled are at least $30. The 5G plan is already $10 more than their nbn plan, so I don't really want to add another $30 just to keep the landline…but it's a great number we've had for 30 years so would be nice to keep it if possible. If it's too expensive then they are OK to get rid of it, but thought I'd ask if anybody had any suggestions?

Thanks.

Internet Landline

Comments

  • SF3 on 10/07/2022 - 00:18

    I reckon ditch the nbn line. Seems like they just want receive or makes calls only.

    Get them on a 365d/12mth prepaid for ~$100+ some examples from googling https://www.whistleout.com.au/MobilePhones/Guides/365-long-e…

    Also landline don’t work if nbn or power outage, so mobile gives you that extra bit of reliability imo.

  • Muzeeb on 10/07/2022 - 00:57
    +3

    it's a great number we've had for 30 years

    Nobody cares. You are paying $30pm for nostalgic reasons. Time to move on.

    • cookie2 on 10/07/2022 - 23:48
      +1

      They care.

      • Muzeeb on 11/07/2022 - 01:14

        Fair call (pardon the pun)

    • jolee3 on 11/07/2022 - 14:03

      No they're not, but thanks for the suggestion.

  • Loot N Plunder on 10/07/2022 - 07:45

    Ditch the landline its not worth the money
    Land lines are like newspapers outdated and better served with modern technology.

  • Densor on 10/07/2022 - 10:25
    +1

    I've got my elderly mother in law on the internet using a NetComm modem and a $200 a year Boost data Sim. The NetComm modem has a VoIP port that you can plug a phone into.

    Just program the modem with your VoIP settings from your currently included VoIP over NBN and you'll have a stand alone landline for $16 a month. Get anAldi Sim and do it even cheaper.

    Or, install a VoIP softphone app on their mobile phone and program it with your current VoIP settings. This all assumes you know your current VoIP settings or your NBN company will tell you

  • AndyC1 on 10/07/2022 - 10:46
    +1

    Where there is NBN you cannot get a landline anymore. If someone calls it a landline it is really an NBN connection with an ATA adapter(aka VOIP) that you plug the phone into.

    Where NBN is not available you can still get a real POTS landline.

  • Devastator0 on 10/07/2022 - 11:00
    +1

    Thought I'd weigh in on this one, both my grandparents and parents are very technologically illiterate and do not use mobile phones (they just can't deal with them) so only want to keep their landline numbers. For their respective providers (Telstra & iPrimus), they do offer a plan to just supply a landline VOIP number, but no actual NBN data service so there are certainly options available.

  • Densor on 10/07/2022 - 11:10
    +1

    I initially thought you were keeping your current NBN but wanted a reliable landline option. If you move to 5G internet, you can take your current phone number with you.
    You can port you current phone number to a VoIP company but you will need a VoIP handset or an ATA to connect your phone to.
    Check http://voipchoice.com.au/compare-voip-plans-residential/ for options.

  • khoaaa on 10/07/2022 - 12:56
    +1

    Crazytel is quite popular on whirlpool https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/684045. I ported parents number just to keep it active, relatively cheap to maintain for a a buck a month for PAYG. Or you can go on a plan if the actually use the landline.

  • jolee3 on 11/07/2022 - 14:01

    Thanks everyone! I'll research some of the options helpfully provided and go from there. If it isn't worth it then we might need to ditch the landline and move into this decade :)

  • FullPrice on 18/07/2022 - 00:38
    +1

    If using Vodafone then this works great for $5/month

    Note it only works for calling in if dialling out it uses the mobile number.

    https://www.vodafone.com.au/support/device/mobile-landline

  • kfp187 on 23/07/2022 - 21:54
    +1

    If they are happy to lose the landline, I would move the number over to Crazytel (my parents did this recently for a number they've had for 30 odd years).

    2 options from there. $1 if they have a mobile phone. Have the number forward to the Crazytel app.
    Or grab a Telstra Smart Modem, chuck in a telstra related sim (aldi, belong, boost whatever). For some sort of internet and set it up in the modem (will need to be rooted - keep in mind if you do that, you could add optus and vodafone settings).
    Contact me if you need a hand with that or buy something like this- https://tinyurl.com/26pm582q

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