AT&T landline phone service alternatives

8 min read

Updated September 25, 2024

Written by

Rob Webber

Edited by

Amanda Webber

MoneySavingPro independently researches the products & services to bring you our recommendations. We may earn money when you click our links - disclosure policy.

For too long, AT&T has ignored its landline phone services causing it to become known for unimpressive quality, lengthy outages, costly price hikes, and more.

This is why so many customers are now looking to other providers in an effort to avoid these issues and find a more reliable home phone service.

So if you're wondering which replacement would be best for your home, we've put this guide together to help you compare the best alternative landline phone service.

The best alternatives to AT&T home phone

Have you noticed that things have been changing when it comes to landline phone service lately? Like most things in our society, it is moving more into the digital and wireless age.

However, AT&T home phone isn't available as a standalone service anymore, and you have to bundle it with internet service, which can get pretty pricey.

But don't worry, there's good news. Plenty of other providers out there have embraced the latest technology and are offering fantastic home phone-only packages with a range of incredible calling features and unbeatable flexibility.

And they're all at a much lower cost compared to traditional landline services.

Ooma Landline

See at Ooma

See at Ooma

Download

Channels

Calls

Unlimited

Monthly Price

$0-1230 day money back guarantee

Ooma offers landline service with plans starting at $0.

Plans

Ooma Landline Plans

Package	Internet	TV	Phone	Price
Telo LTE home phone			Unlimited	$11.99
Telo Basic home phone			Unlimited	$0.00
Telo Premier home phone			Unlimited	$9.99

Are you tired of shelling out big bucks each month just to keep your home phone service going? If so, you're not alone!

Lots of Americans are on the hunt for ways to trim their expenses, and that includes finding a more affordable home phone service. And that's where Ooma comes in.

Ooma is a top-notch provider of cellular-based and VoIP home phone services that offer budget-friendly alternatives to traditional landline and cable phone services. With Ooma, you can enjoy big savings on your home phone bill without sacrificing quality or features.

And here's the best part - you could save hundreds of dollars every year with Ooma. Their basic plan is actually free. All you need to pay is the one-time cost for equipment and any taxes and fees that apply each month.

Advantages of Ooma home phone

• Lower costs: Ooma has many low-cost solutions for home phone service.

• Keep your number: Easily transfer your current phone number over to Ooma.

• Flexibility: Make calls using an internet-based or cellular-based plan.

• Reliability: As long as you have good internet service or strong cell service, the phone system is very reliable.

• Quick & easy setup: No technician is needed when setting up. Most people are able to start making calls within 15 minutes.

• Crystal clear voice quality: Enjoy crisp phone calls with Ooma home phone services.

• International calling: Get low-cost international calls or add on Ooma's international calling package.

• 911 alerts: During emergency calls, Ooma will send your address to dispatchers, and also you'll get a text or email when you call 911.

• Extra features: Using Ooma home phone service means there are many additional features available. Like three-way calling, video conferencing, call forward, call recording, and many more.

• Portability: It's easy to take your phone service with you if you move to a new home.

Disadvantages of Ooma

Although there are many benefits to choosing a home phone service with Ooma, there are some drawbacks:

• No bundles: If you want to combine your internet and TV service on one bill, there are no bundling options.

• Dropped call potential: Relying on a high-speed internet connection or cell towers can mean that if you don't have a signal or your internet is playing up, you'll find calls can drop, or the quality won't be great.

• Location tracking: Due to the portability, it can sometimes be hard to pinpoint a location, which is mostly a concern if calling emergency services.

• Home security systems: Some older home security systems need a landline to hook up to the security company. So it could cost extra to replace or adapt your system to work with a wireless home phone service.

Community Phone Landline

See at Community Phone

See at Community Phone

Download

Channels

Calls

Unlimited

Monthly Price

$40-50Coverage Guarantee - No Internet Required

Community Phone offers landline service with plans starting at $40.

Plans

Community Phone Landline Plans

Package	Internet	TV	Phone	Price
Standard landline service			Unlimited	$39.99
Premium landline service			Unlimited	$49.99

Let us introduce you to Community Phone. A home phone service that's all about affordability and convenience.

With Community Phone, you can say goodbye to landlines and hello to a world of freedom. That's because it operates on a wireless network powered by cell towers. As long as you have cellular network coverage, you'll always have a reliable and accessible home phone.

And the best part? You won't even need an internet connection! That means no more being forced to bundle services you don't need or want, which helps keep costs low.

Community Phone's plans are cheaper than traditional landline companies, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking to save some cash on their home phone bill.

Advantages of Community Phone service

• Lower costs: Affordable monthly bills, plus unlimited local and long-distance calls.

• Keep your number: You don't have to get a new number; transfer your current number to Community Phone.

• Quick & easy setup: There's no technician needed, and you can be up and running within a couple of minutes. You'll receive a small modem device that you can just plug and go.

• No internet required: You don't need a phone or internet line. Connecting to a cell network means you don't need to bundle with anything else.

• Free nationwide calling: Long-distance calling at no additional cost.

• Backup battery: Keep using your landline during power outages with your backup battery.

• Flexibility: Your home number can be used on your cell phone, so you can take your landline wherever you go.

Disadvantages of Community Phone

With plenty of benefits to Community Phone's cell-based home phone, there are some downsides:

• No bundles: If you want to combine your internet and TV service on one bill, there are no bundling options.

• Dropped calls: Relying on cell towers can mean a risk of dropped calls if the network signal is not strong enough.

• Home security systems: If you have an older home security system that needs a landline to connect to the security company, you may need to replace it or pay to adapt it to work with the wireless system.

• Location tracking: Make sure that your home address is up to date for emergency services, as it's not always as easy to track your location.

Compare alternatives to AT&T phone service

Provider	Minutes	Monthly Price
Community Phone	Unlimited	$39.99-49.99
Ooma	Unlimited	$0-11.99

Finding alternatives to AT&T landline in your area

When browsing your options, take some time to think about your specific needs and budget. This way, you can make sure you're getting a service that truly aligns with your lifestyle. With no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to home phone services, these are some of the main factors to consider:

• Coverage: Take a look at coverage and provider availability by plugging in your ZIP code - that way, you can be sure to get an ideal match
• Features: Selecting the best landline phone package for your needs starts by understanding which features you truly require, like call waiting and forwarding or perhaps voicemail-to-text - bear in mind that not all options may be included with every plan, so extra costs could apply.
• Cost: How much do you want to spend on your landline service? There are plenty of options available for all budgets.
• Customer reviews: Make sure to check out reviews on the provider to see what current customers are saying.

Home phone features & benefits

Home phone service providers offer a number of benefits and calling features. But these can vary depending on the home phone service and the package you choose. Common features include:

• Caller ID: Not just a feature for cell phones. You can get caller ID on your landline too.

• Call forwarding: You can direct your incoming calls to another device or number.

• Three-way calling: This is great for group calls with family or friends.

• Call waiting: Be alerted if someone is trying to call you while you're on another call.

• Call blocking: Reject or block unwanted calls from unwelcome numbers. It is also referred to as anonymous call rejection and is ideal to avoid telemarketing calls.

• Voicemail-to-text transcription: This feature isn't offered with all providers, but some offer the option to have your voice messages sent to your email in text format.

• Unlimited calling: If you like spending hours on the phone, some providers offer unlimited calling, which can also be unlimited nationwide calling.

• International calling: If you've got family and friends abroad, check out providers that offer international calling with their plans. With VoIP providers using your existing internet connection, long-distance calls may be free or at a lower cost.

• Reliable home phone service: With a connection to high-speed internet for VoIP service or a backup battery with cellular-based providers like Community Phone, you'll have reliable landline service.

• Keep your number: You can easily transfer your number over to your new landline phone.

• Traditional home phone: Old-school landline providers like Verizon, Frontier, and AT&T landlines don't offer stand-alone home phone plans anymore, so you'll have to bundle with the internet.

• Bundles: If you want an internet connection and TV with traditional landline phone service providers like AT&T home phone, you can add internet and cable TV service to your home phone package.

• Cheap landline phone service: Cellular-based and VoIP phone services offer the cheapest landline service deals. Home phone providers like Ooma even offer their basic service plan for free.

Traditional landline provider alternatives

Of course, you can still opt for traditional home phone service from another of the big cable companies like Spectrum, Frontier, or Verizon. However, like AT&T, they no longer offer landlines as a stand-alone service due to wired landlines being phased out.

This means you'll be required to bundle your phone service with your internet, and prices can start anywhere from around $65 a month.

• Alternative to Verizon landline
• Alternative to Xfinity landline
• Alternative to Cox landline
• Alternative to Optimum landline
• Alternative to CenturyLink landline
• Alternative to Vonage home phone

Alternative landline phone service FAQs

Recap - What are the best alternatives to AT&T landline phones?

Millions of US residents still enjoy a landline phone service, but technology has advanced the traditional landline service, and AT&T has not kept up.

The good news is that the alternative landline providers offer lower costs and even better features to save you money on your landline phone while still providing you with a service you know and love.

Let's recap the best alternative deals to AT&T landline.

• • Cheapest home phone: Ooma home phone service offers the best value for money. The only cost is a one-off fee for the equipment and monthly taxes and fees.

  • Most reliable: This will come down to coverage in your area. But the Community Phone service uses cellular networks and comes with a backup battery to keep you connected in power outages.

  • Best overall provider: With free plans and flexibility Ooma is our choice for the best home phone provider.

  • Most flexible provider: Ooma offers different plans depending on your preference. With a choice of VoIP or cellular-based landlines, either service is a great cost-effective alternative to traditional landline service.

Best landline alternatives

• Frontier Landline Phone Service Alternatives
• AT&T Landline Phone Service Alternatives
• CenturyLink Landline Phone Service Alternatives
• Cox Landline Phone Service Alternatives
• Optimum Landline Phone Service Alternatives
• Verizon Landline Phone Service Alternatives
• Xfinity Landline Phone Service Alternatives
• Vonage Landline Phone Service Alternatives

Provider	Minutes	Monthly Price
Community Phone	Unlimited	$39.99-49.99
Ooma	Unlimited	$0-11.99