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					Originally Posted by Syn
					
				 sorry for the necropost, but a couple more viable options ...
 
 2. get rid of your $20/mo. home phone and use cell as primary (also discourages telemarketers)
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 As a professional emergency manager, NO, NO, NO.
Landline telephones draw their power from the telephone lines.  They work during power outages.  Cell phone circuits can be easily overloaded (witness 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and other catastrophic events), and if the region loses power, the cell phone towers go down (once they run out of generator fuel - again witness Hurricane Katrina and Rita).  The only threat to a landline phone is if the telephone lines themselves go down.
We keep a good old fashion landline telephone for emergency use only.  We do give it out as our incoming number.  We use our cell phones for outgoing calls.
Just something to consider.