I just want to purchace a new house phone - Cell Phones

People like the DECT digital cordless phones that are portable and reliable and the range is good and they are available as a single phone and base station or in sets of up to six to spread around the house and operate from a single phone socket. They are no longer expensive luxuries either.

There is one huge drawback that makes it unwise to throw out the old corded manual phone when a modern phone is purchased - modern phones rely on a connection to the power supply so if something happens and you need to call for help you can't if the lights have all gone out. The old-fashioned corded phone will keep working...

Similarly it is no good relying on mobile communications in an emergency either because if the power goes out in a big way the local mobile masts will be lost too - remember the levy bursting in New Orleans? The lights went out and mobile phones were useless...