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Are you tired of dealing with the limitations and price of your Optimum landline service?
You're not alone; many people are disappointed with their Optimum home phone service and are looking for better options.
While they offer some flexibility with their plans, the biggest problem with Optimum is that their phone services seem to be more of an afterthought compared to their internet services. And their phone is an add-on service rather than part of a bundle.
Optimum doesn't want to lock its customers into buying a service they don't need, but this approach can come at a cost in terms of the quality and features of its landline phone service.
In this guide, we'll cover alternatives to Optimum landline services and help you save money and avoid frustration with your home phone service.
The best alternatives to Optimum home phone
- Download
- Channels
- Calls
- Unlimited
- Monthly Price
- $0-1230 day money back guarantee
Ooma offers landline service with plans starting at $0.
Ooma Landline Plans
Package |
Internet |
TV |
Phone |
Price |
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Unlimited |
$11.99 |
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Unlimited |
$0.00 |
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Unlimited |
$9.99 |
If you're tired of high phone bills and looking for an alternative home phone service? You're definitely not the only one.
That's where Ooma's got you covered. They offer budget-friendly alternatives with all the same features you love, plus many more.
Their basic plan is even free. You'll need to pay for the equipment, which is a low one-off cost, and monthly fees and taxes. But that's it.
Advantages of Ooma home phone
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Lower costs: Ooma has many low-cost solutions for home phone service.
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Keep your number: Easily transfer your current phone number over to Ooma.
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Flexibility: Make calls using an internet-based or cellular-based plan.
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Reliability: As long as you have good internet service or strong cell service, the phone system is very reliable.
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Quick & easy setup: No technician is needed when setting up. Most people are able to start making calls within 15 minutes.
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Crystal clear voice quality: Enjoy crisp phone calls with Ooma home phone services.
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International calling: Get low-cost international calls or add on Ooma's international calling package.
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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.
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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.
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Portability: It's easy to take your phone service with you if you move to a new home.
Disadvantages to Ooma
Although there are many benefits to choosing a home phone service with Ooma, there are some drawbacks:
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No bundles: If you want to combine your internet and TV service on one bill, there are no bundling options.
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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.
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Location tracking: Due to the portability, it can sometimes be hard to pinpoint a location, which is mostly a concern if calling emergency services.
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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.
- Download
- Channels
- Calls
- Unlimited
- Monthly Price
- $40-50Coverage Guarantee - No Internet Required
Community Phone offers landline service with plans starting at $40.
Community Phone Landline Plans
Package |
Internet |
TV |
Phone |
Price |
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Unlimited |
$39.99 |
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Unlimited |
$49.99 |
Get the convenience and affordability of cellular-based home phone service with Community Phone.
You'll be able to break free from traditional landline services, satellite internet providers, or cable contracts thanks to their reliable coverage that operates over cell towers. So you don't even have to have an internet connection if you don't want to.
Community Phone's plans are cheaper than traditional landline companies, offering plenty of value for money without compromising quality or reliability.
Advantages of Community Phone service
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Lower costs: Affordable monthly bills, plus unlimited local and long-distance calls.
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Keep your number: You don't have to get a new number; transfer your current number to Community Phone.
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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.
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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.
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Free nationwide calling: Long-distance calling at no additional cost.
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Backup battery: Keep using your landline during power outages with your backup battery.
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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:
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No bundles: If you want to combine your internet and TV service on one bill, there are no bundling options.
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Dropped calls: Relying on cell towers can mean a risk of dropped calls if the network signal is not strong enough.
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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 Optimum home phone service
Provider | Minutes | Monthly Price |
---|---|---|
Community Phone | Unlimited | $39.99-49.99 |
Ooma | Unlimited | $0-11.99 |
Finding Optimum landline alternatives in your area
Finding the cheapest home phone service can seem daunting but don't worry, there are plenty of options available to find the right fit for you. Make sure to weigh your needs and budget when browsing so that you're getting exactly what best suits your lifestyle.
- Coverage: Check for the best home phone provider in your area using 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. Think about helpful tools 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.
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Call forwarding: You can direct your incoming calls to another device or number.
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Three-way calling: This is great for group calls with family or friends.
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Call waiting: Be alerted if someone is trying to call you while you're on another call.
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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.
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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.
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Unlimited calling: If you like spending hours on the phone, some providers offer unlimited calling, which can also be unlimited nationwide calling.
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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.
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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.
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Keep your number: You can easily transfer your number over to your new landline phone.
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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.
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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
You may have heard that traditional landlines are becoming a thing of the past, and cable companies like Spectrum, Frontier, or Verizon don't offer them as stand-alone services anymore.
So if you still want to stick with these big names for your home phone service, you'll have to opt for an internet and phone bundle starting at around $65.
- Alternative to AT&T landline
- Alternative to Verizon landline
- Alternative to Xfinity landline
- Alternative to Cox landline
- Alternative to CenturyLink landline
- Alternative to Vonage home phone
Alternative landline phone service FAQs
There are plenty of alternatives to Optimum landline service. With VoIP and cellular-based service providers like Community Phone and Ooma, you'll find low-cost plans with all the features you love.
A VoIP or cell-based provider can offer a great alternative to a traditional landline. With the flexibility that you can make and receive calls on your cell phone when you're away from home.
That's a personal choice, depending on what you use a landline for. Many people still like to have access to a home phone, but with the advancement, in technology, your home phone can be used on your cell phone for more convenience.
Ooma offers their basic plan for free. You'll need to pay for a one-off cost for equipment and monthly taxes and fees, but that's it.
Yes, with wireless providers, you can get a home phone-only plan - no internet service providers are needed. Community Phone and Ooma offer low-cost wireless home phone plans with plenty of features and good value for money.
Recap - What are the best alternatives to an Optimum landline?
For many US households, the traditional landline phone service they are used to still has a special place.
And the good news is there are plenty of affordable alternatives to Optimum landline service to choose from. The even better news is you can get this with all the features you know and love offering reliability and good-quality calls.
Let's recap the best alternative deals to Optimum 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.
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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.
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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 |