Can I do away with a landline and TV aerial?

keef66
keef66 Posts: 13,123
edited January 2018 in The cake stop
We've been with Virgin Media for years and a while ago I threatened to leave so in the end they offered me the same deal as new customers for a phone+TV+broadband deal.

However prices have continued to creep up, and I'm now wondering if we really need the bundle.

The cable broadband is brilliant. We're up to 70 mbps already and I want to keep that.

The landline is rarely used, and then it's usually me telling cold callers to fcuk off. My wife has a mobile with plenty of talk time, even for her, and unlimited texts, Whatsapp etc, and I have a company mobile. We could definitely live without a landline.

The Virgin cable TV is only good because it doesn't depend on our wobbly old aerial, but we don't watch anything we couldn't get on Freeview, and the catch-up service is basic / oddly selective and time limited.
The aerial problem might be because it's 50 years old, or because it's pointing straight at the trees over the road.

Ideally I'd like to be able to call Virgin and haggle for a good deal on broadband only.

So is there a way to watch Freeview on the telly via the internet and so do away with the aerial too? TV is a new-ish, smart-ish Panasonic bristling with connectors for HDMI, ethernet, USB, SD etc. We already have a Chromecast stuck in the back for use with the iPad, laptop, kid's phones etc

Comments

  • Alex99
    Alex99 Posts: 1,407
    Can't see why not. We've only got a landline because we're on DSL internet. Landline phone hardly gets used.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    AFAIK there isn't a way to watch freeview on the internet. Just various catch up services.

    If you find one let me know.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,430
    get an aerial

    ditch the pay tv
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • chris_bass
    chris_bass Posts: 4,913
    cooldad wrote:
    AFAIK there isn't a way to watch freeview on the internet. Just various catch up services.

    If you find one let me know.

    https://tvcatchup.com/
    www.conjunctivitis.com - a site for sore eyes
  • trivial_poursuivant
    trivial_poursuivant Posts: 1,136
    cooldad wrote:
    AFAIK there isn't a way to watch freeview on the internet. Just various catch up services.

    If you find one let me know.

    You can watch most bbc channels live on iPlayer.
  • trivial_poursuivant
    trivial_poursuivant Posts: 1,136
    I’ve not had a landline for about 5 years. There is really no need for one these days unless you run a business.
  • FishFish
    FishFish Posts: 2,152
    I agree that you don't need a land line - a cable in to the house - but using it for internet gives you much better speed, compression and possibly security too. Land line phones are last generation given the mobile rates charged now.

    If you have used wireless internet from home for 5 years then you've discovered a trick I never learned.
    ...take your pickelf on your holibobs.... :D

    jeez :roll:
  • tangled_metal
    tangled_metal Posts: 4,021
    Trivial poursuivant wrote:
    I’ve not had a landline for about 5 years. There is really no need for one these days unless you run a business.
    Try living near me. Mobile network gets turned off for weeks at a time in a select few streets. To make a call on our mobiles we have to go out and walk out of our street, across the road and down another road.

    Change networks? Nice idea but they all use the same mast so have the same problem.

    Oh and don't start me on 4G. 4G to the south of me, 4G to the north of me, we're surrounded by 4G. I even got it in the lakes once but not in the town I live in.

    Sorry, rant over.

    I think TV is the only sticking point. Aerial freeview is the only way to avoid the sky/virgin rip off for TV. Unless you change your TV viewing habits to only watch what can be streamed you're going to be using a pay service or aerial.

    Unless you put up your own satellite dish and use freesat. My parents got a while used their sky dish and box to watch only freesat. They'd gone a few years with sky package so could use the box free after that. They went back to sky the year later.

    One thing to think about the land line is what happens if the mobile network goes down? It happened near us after floods took the power out for a long time. A wired landline phone was our only communication. I know it's an unusual situation and one we'll probably not encounter again, but communication is important these days. Our line will always stay in and the wired phone is always within easy reach just in case.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Chris Bass wrote:
    cooldad wrote:
    AFAIK there isn't a way to watch freeview on the internet. Just various catch up services.

    If you find one let me know.

    https://tvcatchup.com/

    Thanks, useful, but still limited channels. I only really watch motor racing on TV - GP, MotoGp, WSB, BSB and BTCC.

    I record everything as I hate ads and being bound to times. In addition the entire Sunday of BTCC is broadcast live, 7 or 8 hours worth. I FF through the ads interviews etc and just watch the actual races.


    Trivial poursuivant wrote:
    cooldad wrote:
    AFAIK there isn't a way to watch freeview on the internet. Just various catch up services.

    If you find one let me know.

    You can watch most bbc channels live on iPlayer.

    Yep use that a bit.


    FishFish wrote:
    I agree that you don't need a land line - a cable in to the house - but using it for internet gives you much better speed, compression and possibly security too. Land line phones are last generation given the mobile rates charged now.

    If you have used wireless internet from home for 5 years then you've discovered a trick I never learned.

    Virgin uses a separate fibre optic cable, so you get excellent internet, but no phone. Which is great.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • FishFish
    FishFish Posts: 2,152
    There is satellite connectivity now but that is expensive - fibre to the home is by far the best for speed (if you really need that much) but Virgin is really the only one that supplies fibre to the home.
    ...take your pickelf on your holibobs.... :D

    jeez :roll:
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Chris Bass wrote:
    cooldad wrote:
    AFAIK there isn't a way to watch freeview on the internet. Just various catch up services.

    If you find one let me know.

    https://tvcatchup.com/

    That might be good enough for us! 95% of the time we only really watch the first 5 channels. Only occasionally Film 4, ITV4, BBC4, Eurosport, or Sky 1.

    Maybe I'll ditch the landline and cable TV but fit a new aerial/cable as a kind of each way bet. Freeview via the aerial while I experiment to see just how smart the smart tv actually is.....

    It'll still save us £40 a month.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,484
    A smart tv needs the Internet which needs either cable or a landline...
    You will get Freeview though.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    PBlakeney wrote:
    A smart tv needs the Internet which needs either cable or a landline...
    You will get Freeview though.

    I meant just lop off the landline/phone and bundled TV package and retain the cable broadband. I love my cable broadband.
  • craker
    craker Posts: 1,739
    I haven't had an aerial for years now (since the builders did a job on it). Haven't missed it, though we do have a Netflix account. We're on copper broadband too, and the kiddies are normally all streaming their stuff simultaneously.

    Do any broadband packages actually come without a landline?
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    craker wrote:
    I haven't had an aerial for years now (since the builders did a job on it). Haven't missed it, though we do have a Netflix account. We're on copper broadband too, and the kiddies are normally all streaming their stuff simultaneously.

    Do any broadband packages actually come without a landline?

    Virgin offer broadband only (to new customers anyway), so I'm assuming since we're already cabled up I can phone and tell them to lop off the TV and phone and give me their best BB only price or I'll go elsewhere.

    Thinking about it, that could completely eliminate the external cabling which runs from the TV point in the lounge to the phone in the hall then upstairs to the modem / router in the office. All our wifi activity is downstairs anyway so it would probably make sense to have the hub behind the telly which we could then connect via ethernet.

    Liking this more and more!

    (Our son has Netflix and we can use his account :D )
  • Pep
    Pep Posts: 501
    I have been living without TV since 2013 and do not miss it.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,592
    Certainly can't avoid the landline here, mobile signal is too poor. My work phone is set up for wifi calling but I find even that drops out regularly. I suppose another thing consider is anyone who calls you regularly and the extra cost to them.
  • Pituophis
    Pituophis Posts: 1,025
    keef66 wrote:
    craker wrote:
    I haven't had an aerial for years now (since the builders did a job on it). Haven't missed it, though we do have a Netflix account. We're on copper broadband too, and the kiddies are normally all streaming their stuff simultaneously.

    Do any broadband packages actually come without a landline?

    Virgin offer broadband only (to new customers anyway), so I'm assuming since we're already cabled up I can phone and tell them to lop off the TV and phone and give me their best BB only price or I'll go elsewhere.

    Thinking about it, that could completely eliminate the external cabling which runs from the TV point in the lounge to the phone in the hall then upstairs to the modem / router in the office. All our wifi activity is downstairs anyway so it would probably make sense to have the hub behind the telly which we could then connect via ethernet.

    Liking this more and more!

    (Our son has Netflix and we can use his account :D )

    I have a virgin broadband only package, and only watch free view and Netflix.
    Don't expect to save much money though, as it's no where near as cheap as you might expect it to be. :roll:
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Pituophis wrote:
    I have a virgin broadband only package, and only watch free view and Netflix.
    Don't expect to save much money though, as it's no where near as cheap as you might expect it to be. :roll:

    Well they are offering it for £27 a month to new customers, then £33 after a year, so I'm expecting to get at least that. My last monthly bill was over £80 which made me wince a bit.
  • grenw
    grenw Posts: 804
    keef66 wrote:
    Well they are offering it for £27 a month to new customers, then £33 after a year, so I'm expecting to get at least that. My last monthly bill was over £80 which made me wince a bit.

    Is that plus line rental? Virgin often work out more expensive if you ditch the fixed line.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    GrenW wrote:
    keef66 wrote:
    Well they are offering it for £27 a month to new customers, then £33 after a year, so I'm expecting to get at least that. My last monthly bill was over £80 which made me wince a bit.

    Is that plus line rental? Virgin often work out more expensive if you ditch the fixed line.

    Interesting; just read on Moneysavingexpert that's the case with many of them

    That's their BB only deal. Looks like I can get BB + line rental (and not use it) for £20 a month for the next 18 months with Vodafone, so I'll threaten to do just that.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,484
    keef66 wrote:
    GrenW wrote:
    keef66 wrote:
    Well they are offering it for £27 a month to new customers, then £33 after a year, so I'm expecting to get at least that. My last monthly bill was over £80 which made me wince a bit.

    Is that plus line rental? Virgin often work out more expensive if you ditch the fixed line.

    Interesting; just read on Moneysavingexpert that's the case with many of them

    That's their BB only deal. Looks like I can get BB + line rental (and not use it) for £20 a month for the next 18 months with Vodafone, so I'll threaten to do just that.
    Just make sure you are comparing like for like with data speed and maximum downloads.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Certainly will. Saving £60 a month will pale into insignificance if we're suddenly back to dial up speeds...
  • chris_bass
    chris_bass Posts: 4,913
    keef66 wrote:
    Chris Bass wrote:
    cooldad wrote:
    AFAIK there isn't a way to watch freeview on the internet. Just various catch up services.

    If you find one let me know.

    https://tvcatchup.com/

    That might be good enough for us! 95% of the time we only really watch the first 5 channels. Only occasionally Film 4, ITV4, BBC4, Eurosport, or Sky 1.

    Maybe I'll ditch the landline and cable TV but fit a new aerial/cable as a kind of each way bet. Freeview via the aerial while I experiment to see just how smart the smart tv actually is.....

    It'll still save us £40 a month.

    can I have a cut of that?
    www.conjunctivitis.com - a site for sore eyes
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Chris Bass wrote:
    keef66 wrote:
    Chris Bass wrote:
    cooldad wrote:
    AFAIK there isn't a way to watch freeview on the internet. Just various catch up services.

    If you find one let me know.

    https://tvcatchup.com/

    That might be good enough for us! 95% of the time we only really watch the first 5 channels. Only occasionally Film 4, ITV4, BBC4, Eurosport, or Sky 1.

    Maybe I'll ditch the landline and cable TV but fit a new aerial/cable as a kind of each way bet. Freeview via the aerial while I experiment to see just how smart the smart tv actually is.....

    It'll still save us £40 a month.

    can I have a cut of that?

    It might have gone up to £60 :wink:
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,592
    keef66 wrote:
    GrenW wrote:
    keef66 wrote:
    Well they are offering it for £27 a month to new customers, then £33 after a year, so I'm expecting to get at least that. My last monthly bill was over £80 which made me wince a bit.

    Is that plus line rental? Virgin often work out more expensive if you ditch the fixed line.

    Interesting; just read on Moneysavingexpert that's the case with many of them

    That's their BB only deal. Looks like I can get BB + line rental (and not use it) for £20 a month for the next 18 months with Vodafone, so I'll threaten to do just that.

    My mate just changed from Sky to Vodafone and was initially really pleased with the deal but has just found out he can't transfer the landline number across that he's had for 20 years. Last I heard he was going to Ofcom and the ombudsman. If you're considering ditching your landline anyway it might not be important to you but it might be worth checking.
  • joe2008
    joe2008 Posts: 1,531
    We've only got a landline because there's no mobile phone reception where we live, and because we don't own a mobile phone.
  • mouth
    mouth Posts: 1,195
    The monster in law calls regularly on the landline, but she's a bit daft - she uses her landline to do it despite being able to use her unlimited mobile minutes to call our mobiles. It costs her money to use her landline as well. Lord knows how we'll ever get through to her. Both the wife and I have such comprehensive mobile contracts, we wouldn't have the landline except for it came free basically. The only thing I would say regarding a landline, and I'm going back 6 or more years here - but when we applied for our mortgage the advisor suggested that a landline can strengthen an application with some lenders. I have no idea how, but she's the expert in such matters.

    TV wise I've just switched from Freeview to Virgin and really wish I'd done it sooner. So much more to watch than we had before and thus far the tv6 box (or whatever it's called) is really very reliable. If you're gonna switch to Freeview, look for a high gain aerial - set you back a coupla hundred (installed) but think along the lines of dial-up to fibre broadband.
    The only disability in life is a poor attitude.
  • Pituophis
    Pituophis Posts: 1,025
    GrenW wrote:
    keef66 wrote:
    Well they are offering it for £27 a month to new customers, then £33 after a year, so I'm expecting to get at least that. My last monthly bill was over £80 which made me wince a bit.

    Is that plus line rental? Virgin often work out more expensive if you ditch the fixed line.

    I stand corrected, you will save quite a bit of money! :shock:
    I pay £33 and that is all in, with no hidden fees on top. They only let you have the "medium" sized package as a minimum, that's how they get a few quid extra out of you.
    Speeds are pretty good though, and there are occasional "free" speed upgrades to keep you loyal.
    I still thought it was expensive for internet only, but there is no phone line into my house so I've never bothered looking for a cheaper provider.
    Maybe I'm unrealsitic/tight? :roll:

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