# Hardwired house phones? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 24, 2015, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411 "2015-04-24T02:53:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411/1 "2015-04-24T02:53:07Z")
You’re thinking about buying a house, but the previous owner decided not to include telephone wiring in an otherwise nice remodel. Do you care? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411/2 "2015-04-24T02:56:01Z")
No. Not because I don’t want it but because I know it can be added, and I don’t think it’s that complicated (for a qualified person). It would not be a deal dealer for me. Not cool tho. ---
**Author:** ![tenacious\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tenacious\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tenacious_j)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411/3 "2015-04-24T02:58:38Z")
No. I don’t need it and don’t plan to. My phone, TV, and security all function without the phone line so I consider it obsolete. If I’m going to live in the house more than a few years, I would bet on improved technology and not needing it to keep up the resale value. Not an expert, I just don’t have a use for it. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411/4 "2015-04-24T03:04:04Z")
phone wiring can be added without much trouble though it might be less or located not where you might prefer placing it. ---
**Author:** ![jezzaOZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9a28c/32.png) [@jezzaOZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jezzaOZ)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411/5 "2015-04-24T03:09:00Z")
Cordless phones work pretty well so that’s not a problem. I assume there is no data cabling either? That is a problem as wireless LANs are nowhere near as good as wired LAN for entertainment purposes ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411/6 "2015-04-24T03:34:55Z")
LAN in all rooms, roughly where the phone jacks were. Router with wifi in a centrally located closet. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411/7 "2015-04-24T03:45:01Z")
You know that you can use network wiring for wired telephones, yes? Provided the telephone service is linked to or near the network somewhere, of course. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411/8 "2015-04-24T03:47:00Z")
> [@jezzaOZ](#): > > Cordless phones work pretty well so that’s not a problem. 😕 A cordless phone still has a base that is plugged in. ---
**Author:** ![2gigch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2gigch1/32/3313_2.png) [@2gigch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2gigch1)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411/9 "2015-04-24T04:29:53Z")
Yes the base needs to be plugged in, however it is much easier to run access to a single base phone than to worry about running copper to every room. Also with the increasing use of cable or fios based providers those inputs are often offshoots of the router provided by the system, not the phone lines entering the house. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411/10 "2015-04-24T05:31:58Z")
What is this why-ur you speak of? Next you’ll have us believe they could watch TV without cable once upon a time. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411/11 "2015-04-24T06:45:57Z")
> [@The Great Sun Jester](#): > > **Hardwired house phones?** If a corded phone is plugged into a wall outlet, that’s not a hard-wired phone. A hard-wired phone is exactly that: you can’t unplug it from the wall because the phone is wired directly into the wall. These were the norm 40 years ago, and occasionally you’ll find one even now in an old house. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411/12 "2015-04-24T07:22:42Z")
The majority of households today don’t seem to use landlines at all, wouldn’t bother me. ---
**Author:** ![SantaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@SantaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SantaMan)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411/13 "2015-04-24T07:55:22Z")
Old fogey here. When I’m offered to replace my land line with a digital phone, I ask “How many days will the phone continue to work after a power outage?” Then again, I’m over 60. And about my lawn, well… ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411/14 "2015-04-24T11:10:03Z")
In some ways I wish I didn’t have that as I have these wall jacks that are not used nor will ever be used. It’s a obsolete technology as far as I’m concerned and if I really needed it it could be added. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411/15 "2015-04-24T14:12:12Z")
> [@jezzaOZ](#): > > I assume there is no data cabling either? That is a problem as wireless LANs are nowhere near as good as wired LAN for entertainment purposes I was thinking more along the lines of data cabling AND/OR easily pullable conduits to each room. (in case cabling standards change). I’m pretty sure there are solutions to run wired telephone over IP networks if need be, but I wouldn’t want to run my entire house wireless on a relatively new build house. In my 44 year old house, there’s not much choice unless I really want to run my own cable (which I don’t), but I’d be fairly disappointed if someone didn’t build a relatively new house (say… post 2012) without the expectation of having it wired for a LAN. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411/16 "2015-04-24T14:24:59Z")
Nah, we have not used a landline in 5 years. I still have a landline number, but only because it makes my internet cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411/17 "2015-04-24T14:25:07Z")
I doubt I’d even notice. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411/18 "2015-04-24T14:52:58Z")
When we remodeled our house last year, they accidentally tore up the incoming phone line while digging a foundation for the garage. We didn’t bother replacing it. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411/19 "2015-04-24T14:53:36Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I was thinking more along the lines of data cabling AND/OR easily pullable conduits to each room. (in case cabling standards change). > > I’m pretty sure there are solutions to run wired telephone over IP networks if need be, but I wouldn’t want to run my entire house wireless on a relatively new build house. In my 44 year old house, there’s not much choice unless I really want to run my own cable (which I don’t), but I’d be fairly disappointed if someone didn’t build a relatively new house (say… post 2012) without the expectation of having it wired for a LAN. i put in CAT 5 cable stapled in the wall for data. also did CAT 5 for phone, a big spool (enough for both uses) of that was cheaper than other cable. i also ran empty conduit for future cabling uses. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411/20 "2015-04-24T17:07:48Z")
> [@2gigch1](#): > > Yes the base needs to be plugged in, however it is much easier to run access to a single base phone than to worry about running copper to every room. Also with the increasing use of cable or fios based providers those inputs are often offshoots of the router provided by the system, not the phone lines entering the house. Sorry, I thought you meant that a cordless phone would somehow be easier than a corded phone, and I couldn’t imgaine how. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardwired-house-phones/718411.md?page=2)