It took two years to make the decision, one that addressed the need to economize, and to cease interruptions to our quiet home life.

We no longer have a “home phone” number, no longer have a landline. Gone is the ability for family and friends to reach us at a consistent number, on a service that functions during power outages when the cellular system becomes overloaded.

I declined a friend’s suggestion to subscribe to an affordable VOIP service (Voice over Internet Protocol). That option would require additional gadgetry and did not appeal to my criteria of eliminating more electronics in our home.

We wanted to delay the inevitable requirement to sign on with the telecom’s fibre connection they are installing in many neighbourhoods around our city. People are feeling forced to eventually use their bundled services. Thankfully, we can still use the Internet connection and modem provided by our community ISP, one of the remaining not-for-profit resellers and service providers. I have learned about “wet line” DSL and “dry copper” DSL (Digital Subscriber Line).

The physical line changes went smoothly, better than the act of informing our telecom through online chat and eventual conversation on my cell that I wanted to discontinue the home phone service and subsequent billing.

All the old phones and cords are packed into a box and inserted in the storage nook for the benefit – or burden – of family archaeologists. We now rely on our personal cell phones, instant messaging and email for communications – when in-person gatherings are not possible.

This transition has been emotional with a touch of nostalgia. One can feel comforted that we can use the savings to soothe the pain of an approaching rent increase, and gain peace and quiet in our humble home by eliminating calls from telemarketers.

It only took me two years to make that decision. So, what’s next: Expenses related to entertainment, clothing, restaurant gatherings with friends, or that geriatric cat?

Thank you for stopping by. Perhaps you can commiserate about the lost era of communications?

T