Replace your home landline with Google Voice and Skype

Josh Smith
Updated

As we become more mobile and have unlimited or high-minute cell phone plans, the traditional landline has given up its role as our connection to friends and become instead a connection to our wallet, sucking out a monthly stipend for the simple act of sitting there waiting to be put to work. Still, cutting the landline is a difficult step for many consumers to make. WalletPop will show you how you can use Google Voice, Skype, some accessories and a bit of planning to make dropping your landline easier.

First, the drawbacks of not having a landline.

  • No central point of contact for a family.

  • Not as comfortable as a normal phone for long talk sessions and being tethered to a PC for Skype.

  • Lack of good option for emergencies.

To start with, the lack of one number to reach the family is personally a big drawback. While my wife and I both have cellphones it is nice to have a home phone that can be given to utility companies and repair people as well as family and friends who don't need to talk to a specific person. This is where Google Voice comes in.

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