# Fixed line phone number



## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

Does anyone else think, like me, that fixed line phones are now a waste of money? We have just cancelled ours as we never made or received calls on it. All of our communications are now by mobile, Whatsapp and social media (Facetime, Facebook, Messenger, etc). But when we started to log on to the web sites of Spanish companies that we deal with a couple, for example our Spanish bank, wouldn’t let us change or delete the fixed line number. We tried to substitute the fixed line number with our mobile number but kept being told that this field is compulsory and the number must start with 9. Anyone else had this experience? By the way, we have never had a phone “line” as such as we live in a remote area. Originally we had an absolutely useless Movistar Track phone (radio link) and then changed this to a VOIP supplier (far more reliable and a fraction of the Movistar price, but now not considered necessary!).


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

The Skipper said:


> Does anyone else think, like me, that fixed line phones are now a waste of money? We have just cancelled ours as we never made or received calls on it. All of our communications are now by mobile, Whatsapp and social media (Facetime, Facebook, Messenger, etc). But when we started to log on to the web sites of Spanish companies that we deal with a couple, for example our Spanish bank, wouldn’t let us change or delete the fixed line number. We tried to substitute the fixed line number with our mobile number but kept being told that this field is compulsory and the number must start with 9. Anyone else had this experience? By the way, we have never had a phone “line” as such as we live in a remote area. Originally we had an absolutely useless Movistar Track phone (radio link) and then changed this to a VOIP supplier (far more reliable and a fraction of the Movistar price, but now not considered necessary!).


Many people will not call a mobile number or a number that does not begin with '9' since there is no knowing where it is and whether they may be cranking up large bills. Many older people don't have a mobile phone. We never call anyone who has a UK phone number for the simple reason, we don't believe in paying out our money to save them money.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

The Skipper said:


> Does anyone else think, like me, that fixed line phones are now a waste of money? We have just cancelled ours as we never made or received calls on it. All of our communications are now by mobile, Whatsapp and social media (Facetime, Facebook, Messenger, etc). But when we started to log on to the web sites of Spanish companies that we deal with a couple, for example our Spanish bank, wouldn’t let us change or delete the fixed line number. We tried to substitute the fixed line number with our mobile number but kept being told that this field is compulsory and the number must start with 9. Anyone else had this experience? By the way, we have never had a phone “line” as such as we live in a remote area. Originally we had an absolutely useless Movistar Track phone (radio link) and then changed this to a VOIP supplier (far more reliable and a fraction of the Movistar price, but now not considered necessary!).


We keep talking of cancelling ours as well. The only problem we have is like you, some places don't accept them and the other problem is the cost of calling places in UK from a mobile.

Not very often, but sometimes we need to call companies and financial institutions in UK and so do this from the fixed line.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

We've never had a fixed phone line since we moved to Spain. We are not heavy phone users and see no point paying line rental when we need mobiles anyway (if nothing else, for use in case of emergency) when we're out and about. I've not yet come across any website that wouldn't let me enter just my mobile number.

For calls to the UK we use a Localphone account linked to my OH's mobile (it's extremely rare for anybody in the UK to call us, they normally just email otherwise we ring them as we have the system for cheap calls set up).

https://www.localphone.com/es/llamada/reino_unido

We don't need a phone line for our broadband either as it is from a local cable company. We could now, if we wanted to, get the new 300mb fast fibre from Movistar, but I believe you have to take their phone line as well if you want the broadband, and the two together cost €58 per month. I see no reason to pay more than the €18 per month I'm currently paying for broadband when I wouldn't use the phone line anyway. We're hardly ever bothered by nuisance sales calls either, which is a plus.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

If we need to call UK, we use Skype, same with calls to USA, Colombia, Sweden, Germany, France, etc. In many cases the other party also has Skype so the calls are free!

I'm sure there was a goon Show where they did something on Free, free, free..... But I can't find it so here is something completely different:


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

snikpoh said:


> We keep talking of cancelling ours as well. The only problem we have is like you, some places don't accept them and the other problem is the cost of calling places in UK from a mobile.
> 
> Not very often, but sometimes we need to call companies and financial institutions in UK and so do this from the fixed line.


We considered the issue of phoning UK business numbers, which we probably have to do half a dozen times a year, but discovered that we can buy cheap weekly or monthly packages for mobile calls to the UK which probably wouldn't cost much more than a month's subscription for the VOIP service. We'll have to see how it goes!


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

baldilocks said:


> Many people will not call a mobile number or a number that does not begin with '9' since there is no knowing where it is and whether they may be cranking up large bills. Many older people don't have a mobile phone. We never call anyone who has a UK phone number for the simple reason, we don't believe in paying out our money to save them money.


Good point but everyone we know uses Whatsapp for calls and messages to mobiles and this is totally free, even to the UK. Everyone we know has a mobile, even an 87-year-old friend, but there's no point calling him because he is almost totally deaf and keeps forgetting to use his hearing aid!


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

When I'm travelling I rely on the internet for contacting home. In the UK I pay £43 a month to talktalk which gives me 72mb/s fibre broadband, unlimited phone calls nationally and internationally from my landline plus unlimited calls to UK mobile networks and Youview TV which gives me dozens of channels, all the catchup I want and I can record programmes; so I'm not going to scrap my landline...its used a lot and its cheap as chips.

If I lived abroad full time I'd still keep a landline, overall its far more reliable than mobile networks IMHO.

As a UK radio ham (advanced license) I can take and have taken, a small 'QRP' rig with me in the past so if conditions are good I've been able to talk to UK hams and others from all over.


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## mono (Jan 22, 2016)

I live in the Highlands of Scotland where mobile signal is awful at best. Also we have no cable TV in the Highlands so we have to have a landline for internet. It is a real extra considerable bill. I actually resent it


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

bob_bob said:


> When I'm travelling I rely on the internet for contacting home. In the UK I pay £43 a month to talktalk which gives me 72mb/s fibre broadband, unlimited phone calls nationally and internationally from my landline plus unlimited calls to UK mobile networks and Youview TV which gives me dozens of channels, all the catchup I want and I can record programmes; so I'm not going to scrap my landline...its used a lot and its cheap as chips.
> 
> If I lived abroad full time I'd still keep a landline, overall its far more reliable than mobile networks IMHO.
> 
> As a UK radio ham (advanced license) I can take and have taken, a small 'QRP' rig with me in the past so if conditions are good I've been able to talk to UK hams and others from all over.


I can't see a service like that coming to the Costa Blanca mountains any time soon!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

mono said:


> I live in the Highlands of Scotland where mobile signal is awful at best. Also we have no cable TV in the Highlands so we have to have a landline for internet. It is a real extra considerable bill. I actually resent it


When you move here, there is WiMax which is good and reliable.


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

baldilocks said:


> If we need to call UK, we use Skype, same with calls to USA, Colombia, Sweden, Germany, France, etc. In many cases the other party also has Skype so the calls are free!
> 
> I'm sure there was a goon Show where they did something on Free, free, free..... But I can't find it so here is something completely different:
> YouTube - The Goon Show - What Time Is It Eccles -.Flv - YouTube


Brilliant! I used to love listening to the Goons. I have never liked Skype but we get superb quality video calls with Facetime (only available via Apple phones and computers) and Facebook messenger. Again all free!


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## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

Moviestar won't install internet unless you agree to have a land line, even if it's cable!


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

AFAIK, most of the big companies insist on a fixed line in order to provide ADSL or FO internet.

In our case, having just purchased a new flat, we are tying to get Vodafone to install internet.
They sent us the router package within hours of signing up, but we are totally unable to get them to come and install the line! Loads of phone calls, promises to call back to set a date, and then nothing!

I thought it was supposed to be difficult to get out of a phone contract in Spain, we cannot even get into one!

This has caused us the problem the OP mentions, other utility providers such as gas and electric, insist on the customer providing a land line number, but we don't have one yet, so we just give a friend's number so that the obligatory field is completed (with their consent of course).


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

We haven't had a fixed line for many years, I think they are mainly redundant these days and even if we did have to have one for the internet we would never even bother with using it or even plug it in.


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## Turtles (Jan 9, 2011)

You can always put 900000000. Websites seem to like that. Now what do we do when they want 2 surnames?


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

mono said:


> I live in the Highlands of Scotland where mobile signal is awful at best. Also we have no cable TV in the Highlands so we have to have a landline for internet. It is a real extra considerable bill. I actually resent it


I live in a remote location in the Costa Blanca mountains and get fast, reliable, line-free internet via satellite. Take a look: Tooway Internet satellite - High-speed Internet access everywhere in UK


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Turtles said:


> You can always put 900000000. Websites seem to like that. Now what do we do when they want 2 surnames?


I still get mail addressed to "Sr. John Smith N/A"* after having put "N/A" in the field for segundo apellido. 

* Name changed to protect the guilty.


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

The Skipper said:


> I live in a remote location in the Costa Blanca mountains and get fast, reliable, line-free internet via satellite. Take a look: Tooway Internet satellite - High-speed Internet access everywhere in UK



How much does Tooway cost in Costa Blanca for unlimited and what's the download speed


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

I have just learnt why many big companies in Spain probably insist on a fixed line phone number. Apparently it used to be the case in the UK as well and was part of the credit scoring system. Anyone without a fixed phone line had their credit score downgraded and might, as a result, be refused an account. Most companies in the UK have now, I am told, abandoned this credit scoring marker because so many people now communicate solely via mobiles and social media. No doubt Spain will follow suit in ten years or so!


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## chrisnation (Mar 2, 2009)

*Highlands*



mono said:


> I live in the Highlands of Scotland where mobile signal is awful at best. Also we have no cable TV in the Highlands so we have to have a landline for internet. It is a real extra considerable bill. I actually resent it


Living somewhere like this, any tech is a bonus. It may be irritating to be without but it's not a God-given right to have these things.


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## chrisnation (Mar 2, 2009)

I had brilliant deals from T/Talk as well. I´m gagging for them to get set up here in Spain and blow the whole comms biz wide open.


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## chrisnation (Mar 2, 2009)

"Does anyone else think, like me, that fixed line phones are now a waste of money?"

My thoughts, exactly. Back-along, before mobile phones, one could pay for a land line answering service. One could have a shared number or for more money, one's own number that got answered in one's own name. 

Anybody know of such?


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Turtles said:


> You can always put 900000000. Websites seem to like that. Now what do we do when they want 2 surnames?


We've had to put a full stop as a space gets parsed out by the software.

Just make sure that the full stop is the second surname and not the first!


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## chrisnation (Mar 2, 2009)

Only 10 years? My guess is 15. 

And, as for catching up, I wonder if Spain will ever get round to cash-back at supermarket check outs? I know from my own business, which involved a modest amount of retail for cash, in irritatingly small amounts, that bank charges for depositing cash were the most expensive.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

chrisnation said:


> Only 10 years? My guess is 15.
> 
> And, as for catching up, I wonder if Spain will ever get round to cash-back at supermarket check outs?


ING started this service for their customers in Spain earlier this year.

Eroski and Dia also offer it on their own credit cards, but the commission is outrageous.


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

Rabbitcat said:


> How much does Tooway cost in Costa Blanca for unlimited and what's the download speed


I pay €39 a month for my service which gives 22mbs download speed and 6 up. I am restricted to 20gb download a month for use between 7am and 11pm but unlimited between 11pm and 7am. I can buy download top-ups at any time for €10 per gb. If you over-use and don't buy a top-up you don't lose the service but the speed is throttled right back, enabling little more than sending and receiving emails or web browsing.
We bought our system four years ago and so far it has proved totally reliable. I note that current prices and packages are more expensive, partly I think because they now rent the hardware instead of selling it. They have also restricted the unlimited download times, for new customers now only between 12 midnight and 6am. 
There are now dozens of Tooway agents and installers in Spain and the tariffs are all the same, so there's not much point in shopping around. The one thing, however, to bear in mind is that UK companies like Europasat (who I use) give you a UK IP address which means you can download programmes from the BBC and other UK channels (obviously best done at night in the unlimited download period). If you have a Spanish IP address you can't download UK TV programmes.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

tebo53 said:


> Moviestar won't install internet unless you agree to have a land line, even if it's cable!


They'll also sign you up for internet regardless of the fact that you are more than 4kms from the exchange & it won't work properly.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Never been asked by any business or bank here for landline numbers. Most businesses operate around here without them as dealing with telefonica/movistar is a waste of time & they have no interest whatsoever in maintaining what lines exist ,let alone installing new ones. Not a chance around here.
I even know someone with telefonica phone manhole outside his front door in the pavement. Never ever managed to get a line in the last 13 years & not for want of asking.
I actually had two lines & got rid of both as they could not supply me with adsl as we are 4,3kms from the exchange. That was 11 years ago . Still the same.
Even if they came along now with fibre-optic/landline/mobile/tv package all free & paying me a 1000€/week I wouldn't deal with the scum. I've never found anyone around here with a good word to say about them, whether Foreign or Spanish.

If I want to ring the Uk or anywhere else I use voip, skype ,etc: I use viber via mobiles/laptop for contact with daughter's in London & aussie or wife when in UK.


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

gus-lopez said:


> Never been asked by any business or bank here for landline numbers. Most businesses operate around here without them as dealing with telefonica/movistar is a waste of time & they have no interest whatsoever in maintaining what lines exist ,let alone installing new ones. Not a chance around here.
> I even know someone with telefonica phone manhole outside his front door in the pavement. Never ever managed to get a line in the last 13 years & not for want of asking.
> I actually had two lines & got rid of both as they could not supply me with adsl as we are 4,3kms from the exchange. That was 11 years ago . Still the same.
> Even if they came along now with fibre-optic/landline/mobile/tv package all free & paying me a 1000€/week I wouldn't deal with the scum. I've never found anyone around here with a good word to say about them, whether Foreign or Spanish.
> ...


I totally agree with your views on Movistar. They harassed me for two years for payment of a €504 invoice and eventually issued notice of court proceedings. The invoice was for the cost of equipment they claimed I had not returned after cancelling a Track phone contract. But I had a receipt for the equipment from a Movistar engineer who collected it from my house and despite sending copies of this over and over again to Movistar and their solicitors, they continued with their claim and never responded to my letters. I was forced to consult a solicitor who wrote a stinker of a letter to Movistar and their solicitors and warned them that we would seek substantial compensation for harassment if they didn't drop the case. This worked but it cost me €150 for the solicitor. My solicitor described Movistar as "that nasty company" and said they had a reputation for extorting money from clients who cancelled contracts.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

chrisnation said:


> "Does anyone else think, like me, that fixed line phones are now a waste of money?"
> 
> My thoughts, exactly. Back-along, before mobile phones, one could pay for a land line answering service. One could have a shared number or for more money, one's own number that got answered in one's own name.
> 
> Anybody know of such?


Yes, some friends have this service, but no idea of the who, what, where of it.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

gus-lopez said:


> Never been asked by any business or bank here for landline numbers.


I can't actually remember the last time I gave my phone number out to a business. I usually don't as it's not necessary and I don't want my number to get sold on to someone else who's going to plague me with unwanted calls. The sales calls on the land line have virtually stopped now and as I don't usually answer unknown numbers on the mobile I don't get sales calls there either.
In fact the problem for us has been more as people ask now directly for a mobile number and I don't like giving it and OH doesn't have one and they don't believe him.
What I find I use the mobile for a lot is What's App.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

The Skipper said:


> I totally agree with your views on Movistar. They harassed me for two years for payment of a €504 invoice and eventually issued notice of court proceedings. The invoice was for the cost of equipment they claimed I had not returned after cancelling a Track phone contract. But I had a receipt for the equipment from a Movistar engineer who collected it from my house and despite sending copies of this over and over again to Movistar and their solicitors, they continued with their claim and never responded to my letters. I was forced to consult a solicitor who wrote a stinker of a letter to Movistar and their solicitors and warned them that we would seek substantial compensation for harassment if they didn't drop the case. This worked but it cost me €150 for the solicitor. My solicitor described Movistar as "that nasty company" and said they had a reputation for extorting money from clients who cancelled contracts.


Movistar (in the past Telefónica) are nasty, and if I'd had your experience I certainly wouldn't give them my custom however, we had a bad experience with Orange and went back to Movistar on a good offer and haven't had any problems. People used to say, and I don't know if this is still true, that Telefónica had all the lines and so if you had a problem, they were the ones that had to fix it in the end. That was certainly our experience when we had touble with an excavator digging up the line. Orange did nothing, but largely because they couldn't, and we were stuck in the middle.


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## chrisnation (Mar 2, 2009)

"Even if they came along now with fibre-optic/landline/mobile/tv package all free & paying me a 1000€/week I wouldn't deal with the scum. I've never found anyone around here with a good word to say about them, whether Foreign or Spanish."

This is why I think it will take more than 10 years for the Spanish to catch up with services such comms.

Five years for the technology and customer friendly packages and another 10 for adopting civilised and, to use marketing-speak, "customer facing" attitudes.


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