Can You Have Internet Without a Landline Phone?

If you only use your mobile phone for communication, you might have decided that your landline phone is not necessary anymore. Internet access is still a necessity, though and luckily, internet is available without a landline phone. You should first consider your internet usage and budget. Then review the options available in your location before taking the next step and signing up for internet access.

Fixed Internet Lines

You don't need to sign up for landline phone service just to have internet service via a landline. Most of the major cable and DSL service providers offer internet-only services. But, typically, these companies try to entice their customers to sign up for service bundles, asserting that by doing so you'll save money. This might be true. But if you rely solely on your mobile phone for making and receiving calls, then subscribing to a service bundle will just end up costing you more money, unnecessarily.

Remote Wireless

You may also have another option if you live in an area where a company offers wireless internet exclusively. For example, in some urban areas, smaller wireless internet providers install wireless routers in certain apartment buildings and then offer access to building residents for a monthly fee. That way, you don't need to rent or buy your own modem or router. You just pay and connect. Some cities have built-in free wireless internet networks for their residents. To find out if a provider is in your area, do a web search for "wireless internet providers" followed by your city or neighborhood.

Mobile Internet

Most major mobile phone carriers offer data packages that allow subscribers to access the internet on their smartphones or tablets. For some, this is all they need in terms of internet access, and they forego owning a laptop or home computer. But others, especially those who only use smartphones to access the internet, might not be satisfied with relying only on a phone to surf the web. The smaller screen and keypad can be awkward, such as when writing an email. Several companies also offer USB cellular modems, which give you internet access through your computer's USB port, accessing the cellular network's data services.

Satellite Internet

Those who live in some remote areas have had to go without high-speed internet access because there simply aren't any landline or cellular internet service providers in their area. In such cases, satellite internet might be the way to go. More companies are providing this service. Even if you don't live in a remote area, satellite internet might be right for you, especially if you already have dish service for TV programming. However, if you use the internet for gaming or other fast-paced programs, you might run into frustration with satellite internet , since satellite internet tends to lag more than landline internet service.

Emerging Technology

One final option to consider is the various emerging technology options that may not be far away from being a reality. Google announced in 2017 that it is working on a balloons-based internet option called Project Loon which is aimed at delivering internet to remote areas. Loon works by transmitting high-speed internet from a telecommunications partner on the ground up to the nearest balloon which then relays that across the balloon network and finally back down to remote users on the ground. Google is optimistic about the possibilities with this technology but has not yet announced when it will be available to most remote users.