Emergency home phone

[Irrelevant]

Totally random question.

Our kids are getting old enough to stay at home, but we don't have a land line. We also don't have cell coverage at the house so we call out via our wifi network. I'm looking for something super cheap and simple. So far I've identified a couple of solutions.
1. cheap cell phone and cheap plan $$
2. kids specific phone/watch $$$
3. We have a fire tablet, but the kids keep sneaking it to watch videos and plan games, so tablet really isn't going to work to call out.
4. Landline (boo)

What else have you all used?

 

[Tiredofthebickering]

Any cheap smartphone with WIFI capability and WhatsApp or Google Hangouts video/voice calling No cell service plan required.

 

[Dsnow9]

Old cellphones without a cell plan can still call 911, I don’t know if that helps the lack of service but it’s an option

 

[Irrelevant]

Old cellphones without a cell plan can still call 911, I don’t know if that helps the lack of service but it’s an option

Seriously? I didn't know that

 

[Irrelevant]

Any cheap smartphone with WIFI capability and WhatsApp or Google Hangouts video/voice calling No cell service plan required.

Between the two of you I think that hits the nail on the head... damn I appreciate HT

 

[marksjeep]

Landline (boo). Kids will only stay home alone more and more as they get older. Mine are at that age, but we have coverage, so they have a cell phone. We're limited to DSL on the internet side, and it craps out a lot. I would not like an internet-only emergency line.

 

[JEL]

We ended up putting a land line in out at the farm. Our kids are grown but the farm is remote and has poor internet. We needed a reliable phone service in case of emergency. Land line was our best option.

 

[Irrelevant]

Landline (boo). Kids will only stay home alone more and more as they get older. Mine are at that age, but we have coverage, so they have a cell phone. We're limited to DSL on the internet side, and it craps out a lot. I would not like an internet-only emergency line.

we have 100mb hardlined fiber plus broadband wifi as a backup. Our PUD had the communication side covered pretty well.

 

[Frenchy]

I just taught my daughter how to call mom or dad in an emergency using our Amazon Alexa Echo. Not Perfect, but it worked good enough.

 

[homers]

Since you have internet and WiFi, look at some VOIP providers and phones. I got in on the free version of OOMA years ago. Regular old phone connected to internet. I’m sure you can find free or cheap monthly.

 

[Sam Colt]

Ooma for $6 / mo unlimited NorAm calling. Wire it into the house line and use the old touch tone phones.

 

[Nameless Range]

Just went through something similar. My 11 year old and 6 year old were going to be walking down the hill to get on the bus themselves in the mornings and that meant they would be home alone for a bout a half hour every morning. We don't have a landline. We tried some apps on her kindle for calling or texting, but frankly they seemed sketchy and unreliable. Ended up getting her an iphone SE. It was 250 bucks through t-mobile. Now the last thing I wanted was for my daughter to get a phone this early, much less a smart phone, but the rule of its use being for texting or calling only seems to be working over the last month. We have a pouch on the door in the mudroom that all phones go into when we enter the house, so no one has their phone in their hand when we are home together. It's actually been kind of nice, and has allowed the wife and I to run into town to run errands a couple times and leave the two older kids at home.

 

[smarandr]

Ooma for $6 / mo unlimited NorAm calling. Wire it into the house line and use the old touch tone phones.

Ooma is the solution at our house too.

 

[Elevationwerks]

The landline works when the power is out and for 911 every time. Get a phone that doesn't need power for emergency and add a wireless phone system for the rooms.

 

[1_pointer]

Our youngest uses one of our old phones, no sim card, to make facetime calls via wifi when he needs to. Works well enough when he's at home. He also has a no-name "smart watch" that with a $5/mo sim card can make calls. We are able to control the numbers in the watch that he can call. It works as well. For us, these have been easy options until Santa brings him a cell phone for Christmas this year.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

The landline works when the power is out and for 911 every time. Get a phone that doesn't need power for emergency and add a wireless phone system for the rooms.

My parents kept the landline well into the 10s for fire info, reverse 911, as well as being able to call the house to see if it was still there. Welcome to CO every other yearish, we had to use it.

Analog phones are the best, no power required.


@neffa3 you probably already have moved past this but definitely old phone without SIM doing WiFi calling.

My family likes to travel and prior to WiFi calling it was always a ordeal figuring out that piece of it. My parents were in Eastern Europe for a couple years and just bought the cheap smart phones for local use and then used their phones on WiFi, when my wife and I travel we just use my garmin mini for texting and then WiFi.

My sister mostly uses wifi, but pre-pandemic was going to Africa 6-10 times a year and ran around with a pocket full of SIM cards.

 

[Irrelevant]

My parents kept the landline well into the 10s for fire info, reverse 911, as well as being able to call the house to see if it was still there. Welcome to CO every other yearish, we had to use it.

Analog phones are the best, no power required.
View attachment 177339

@neffa3 you probably already have moved past this but definitely old phone without SIM doing WiFi calling.

My family likes to travel and prior to WiFi calling it was always a ordeal figuring out that piece of it. My parents were in Eastern Europe for a couple years and just bought the cheap smart phones for local use and then used their phones on WiFi, when my wife and I travel we just use my garmin mini for texting and then WiFi.

My sister mostly uses wifi, but pre-pandemic was going to Africa 6-10 times a year and ran around with a pocket full of SIM cards.

We went with a dual system. Old cell phone for 911, tablet for texting/video us (Facebook IM for Kids). I was unable to get a cell phone, with or without SIM card, to call via WiFi calling, it always forced me to "setup" first. I think you need an unlocked cell phone, which you have to go through the provider (?), but honestly the texting and 911 were all we really need so I didn't look into it any further.

 

[come2elmo]

Ooma for $6 / mo unlimited NorAm calling. Wire it into the house line and use the old touch tone phones.

Yup works well assuming the internet is up

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

We went with a dual system. Old cell phone for 911, tablet for texting/video us (Facebook IM for Kids). I was unable to get a cell phone, with or without SIM card, to call via WiFi calling, it always forced me to "setup" first. I think you need an unlocked cell phone, which you have to go through the provider (?), but honestly the texting and 911 were all we really need so I didn't look into it any further.

Ipod would be the way to go instead of a phone, basically what your doing with the tablet.

 

[Irrelevant]

So, my solution worked for like 1.5 years. My daughter needs a phone, trying to coordinate after school activities, changes in scheduling, etc. My wife couldn't find her one day and freaked out, thankfully she ended up forgetting what she was supposed to do, then sorta panicked herself and walked to a friends house. So we went with the Verizon GizmoWatch2. It's really sweet, if you live in town, but no wifi calling. Also, it's sorta just a POS. It routinely won't make or receive calls. My wife finally had enough and it's gone. This time I was told to quit $*)Q!#@$ around with these little hacks and get a single solution.

So cell phones for kids... @Nameless Range went with an adult phone it sounds like. I'm not sure I want to go that route. I don't want really any apps, certainly no social media, I like to have the ability to see where she is even if I don't call her. I stumbled upon this, but it sorta feels like a gimmick. https://troomi.com/how-it-works/

Anyone else have any recommendations?