Optimum only allows 1 phone connection in center of house.

amother

Sun, May 10 2020, 6:25 pm

Recently I became aware that using cordless phones is just as dangerous as cellphones. so I purchased a corded phone to use at my bedside.

I now remember that with Optimum I have only one phone connection in the center of my house, that must remain in the center of the house for best internet reception throughout the house. Ive been using a cordless phone that comes with extra handsets that I use throughout the house. My old phone jacks are no longer usable.

How do I use a corded phone at bedside, if because of Optimum, I dont have a usable jack at my bedside? (My jack was usable with Verizon).

If I want to keep Optimum service, is my only option to remain with the cordless handset (thats unhealthy based on what Ive read)?

tia

nanny24/7

Sun, May 10 2020, 7:06 pm

I would love to know the same thing.
And although I am not worried about the cordless phones, your concern definitely does not make you "OCD".
Not necessarily for the same reason, but I really like the idea of having a jack only electric free phone in case of any power outage.
I heard that the current cable phone lines, although powered with electric, are supposed to be powered separately to be less likely to go out of service during a power outage, but with a cordleds phone that must be plugged into a wall outlet to work, that's no use!
I have Verizon Fios and they said they also only put 1 "box" to which we can connect phones. When you previously had separate jacks with Verizon that was probably with their older phone lines which are basically becoming obsolete, at least in many places.
Right now, there are some neighborhoods in which no company would offer the "old fashioned" service anymore, and for friends and people I know who still have that, the service is awful as the lines constantly get knocked off anytime they "fix" another person's lines that doesn't work.
I had several Verizon workers tell me outright that Verizon is no longer repairing or adding any of the old kind of phone lines, so they are way overcrowded with no room for all the customers that supposedly get that service
So anytime one person's line breaks, they are ordered to reconnect that line, and if there is no room in the pole for it they simply have to disconnect another line instead.
I do recall that if I pay for a whole additional phone service plan from Verizon they can add an additional fios cable box in a second location for me. But it would be very expensive. They did say I have the option of adding a second phone line (different phone number) in the same cable box I have now for an additional monthly minimal fee.
I suppose when all else fails in a power outage we can charge our cell phones in the car, but that's quite a waste of gasoline fuel, nevermind polution. And would not at all be possible for people who don't have a car.
Generators powered by none electric sources (not batteries that need to recharge) are quite expensive, even for only 1 outlet.

nanny24/7

Sun, May 10 2020, 7:15 pm

Also about the safety of cordless phones, I am trying to limit use of electronics in the home with the kids, which means for school conferences and any extra socializing or learning my kids including a preschooler all spend quite a large amount of time per day using the cordless landline to participate in classes and/or listen to various recordings.
It definitely does not seem outrageous to me to suggest that the safety of young or even elementary age or adolescent children spending so many hours per day with a cordless phone might be questionable, if not then certainly an area that has never been studied.

sky

Sun, May 10 2020, 8:40 pm

I also have a corded phone for Shabbos emergencies. Like if have to go to hospital in Shabbos when in labor there are many less melachos involved. I also feel it safer to have corded phones so in the event of a power outage (lasts 24 hours) they work or in an emergency we don’t have to search for a phone. It has advantages.

I have Verizon Fios so I don’t know if it’s the same. I have phone jacks in my house and the can be wired to my Fios box. I have phones in regular jacks. My DH was even able to move existing lines in my house to a new line on my Fios box to add a line. I don’t know if you can do something like that with optimum.

amother

Mauve

Sun, May 10 2020, 8:41 pm

nanny24/7 wrote:

What about a wired headset

ddmom

Sun, May 10 2020, 9:13 pm

sky wrote:

Can you please tell me how he did it? I would love to add an extra line, Verizon said it's only $10/month but they charge $150 to install jack. (If I understood correctly!)
We have Verizon fios and there's 2 line on outside box afai can tell.

sky

Sun, May 10 2020, 9:42 pm

ddmom wrote:

We had an old phone system before Fios so I don’t know if that made a difference
We already had a jack. He found the line from the jack outside and moved it to the Fios second line. All the work was outside.
If you have the jacks maybe you can find a tutorial to switch it to a new line.

We also did it for the $10 line

amother

Sun, May 10 2020, 9:57 pm

amother [ Purple ] wrote:

Can’t an electrician do something for you, op?
And did you ask optimum to install more phone jacks?

Maybe if I want to pay double and have 2 modems. I just spoke to cust serv. either they dont know or only one phone can be connected to modem. Main thing I wanted is to use a corded phone in the bedroom, but thats impossible if modem is in middle of house.