Many people are simply not getting enough use out of their home phone to warrant the cost
UK households who have a landline that is no longer in use are being urged to switch it off now to avoid a costly bill. With the cost of living crisis continuing to impact household budgets, many are seeking ways to reduce their monthly expenses.
Switching broadband and mobile plans to cheaper tariffs is a good starting point, but there’s another option that could help reduce your direct debits.
Despite millions still having landline phones included in their broadband packages, many aren’t using them enough to justify the cost. According to Go.Compare, eliminating the landline could save some households around £50 per year.
New figures indicate that approximately 21.4 million adults currently have a landline, with most of these being part of a broadband package.
However, only about a quarter of these users say they regularly use their home phone, reports the Express.
As most people now own a smartphone, many calls are made via broadband-connected services such as WhatsApp and Apple’s voice call and FaceTime.
If you’re not using your landline for calls, it’s worth checking with your provider to see if disconnecting it could save you money.
Switching to a broadband-only connection may result in cheaper plans, although this isn’t always the case. Therefore, it’s crucial to explore different options and see what’s available.
Discussing the matter, Matt Sanders, broadband expert at Go.Compare, stated: “Lots of households still need home phones to contact loved ones, but we are seeing this slowly decline as people rely more on mobiles and online communication.
“If you’re someone who doesn’t use the landline but are paying for it as part of your broadband package, it could be worth your while to ditch it altogether.
“This is because, over the past few years, we have seen more of a difference in price between broadband packages with and without a landline included.
“So, even if it’s only worth a few quid each month, you could consider taking it off your contract and save a little on your monthly bill.
However, the expert advised: “But, before you unplug your phone line, it’s important to compare broadband packages and find out what will work better for you.
“In some cases, deals that include a landline can actually be cheaper for users, but this depends entirely on the provider and all the details of your deal.”