What Is a Landline Number?

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Learn the basic definition of a landline number as well as what it can and can't do, why someone should have one, how to get one, and more.

A landline number is just a regular phone number that relies on physical wires to enable voice calls. Before cellphones existed, metal or cable wires were the only way a phone in a home or office could place/receive calls.

A phone number for a cellphone wouldn’t be considered a landline number because it uses radio waves to transfer voice calls.

Even though many modern home phones or landlines are wireless, the cradles they’re connected to still rely on that cord connection. That’s the reason people refer to ditching their landline in favor of a cellphone as “cutting the cord”.

You’ve probably heard of landline numbers referred to as hard-wired, or POTS (plain old telephone service). Which makes sense given landline numbers need one of these—familiar to anyone born before 2000.

Benefits of Landline Numbers

In 2016, a U.S. government study revealed that 50.8% of homes and apartments had only cellphone service. But for many organizations, the scale has yet to tip toward the cord-free lifestyle.

There are a few undeniable benefits to having a landline number for your organization:

• Stronger call quality: Thanks to the reliability of landlines, the call quality is often clearer.
• Emergency outages: Landline numbers work even when the internet is out. Numbers associated with corded phones still function, even during an electrical outage. Due to the fact that traditional copper phone lines possess their own power supply, they’re able to function normally, even during a blackout. This feature is crucial for call centers, or anyone who must stay available to callers at all times.

Limitations of Landline Numbers

On the flip side, landline numbers also come with a few negatives. Depending on your business needs, these may or may not become dealbreakers.

• Directory listing: To have a landline numbers means you’re automatically listed in directories and phone books. For many, this results in a higher volume of spam and sales calls.
• Physical limitations: A landline number, even with a cordless phone, is still limited to a certain area. You must remain within the physical limits of your phone jack if you want to answer calls.

Should I Have a Landline Number?

After weighing the pro’s and con’s, you might still be on the fence. We can’t make the call for you, but we will say this.

There’s no real harm in having a landline number. If your business has a lot of call traffic, it’s probably in your best interest. But the ability to communicate on the go is practically essential these days. Workspaces (and workers) are on the go, which means your communication tactics must be as well.

Here’s the good news.

You can have a landline number and text-enable it without interrupting your voice service.

While calls may still be routed to a physical location, you open yourself up to communicate with anyone, at any time, through SMS.

Take a look at what you can do with a text-enabled landline:

When it comes to landline limitation solutions, SMS is one of the best there is. 66% of consumers either prefer mobile messaging or consider it their second choice for communications when compared to phone and email.

[Read: The Most Common Questions About Texting and Landlines]

How to Get a Landline Number

If your business already has a landline number that you want to text enable, we can help you out in a few simple steps.

If you do not have a landline number, or you want to change yours, we can also work with you to secure a new number.

Your third best option is to contact your desired phone service provider and ask for a rep to help set you up with a number and any necessary devices. Know that, depending on the size and call volume of your service, this could get a little pricey.

If you’re looking for a more cost-friendly option, you may want to consider a VoIP number, but that’s a whole different ball game you can read about here.

No matter what method you choose, connectivity is key! From calling to texting, there are plenty of ways to get in touch with the people you need.