It was announced today that Verizon's phone/data system was down for a large part of the country. Today, I am seeing more and more attorneys, mostly solos and small firm practitioners, rely on their cell phone as their main office line. Some also rely on cellular mobile hotspots for their law practice's internet. Now, this is not an attempt to take a swipe at Verizon (although this is the second time it was down within a week), but it does raise the question "should we have phones from at least two different cell phone carriers?"

It may not be a bad idea. People are shedding their traditional landline home phone for a cell phone (or a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP allows you to make phone calls over your internet with a traditional landline phone which is an article for another day). Why not just have your professional line on a different carrier than your home phone? Phone-line porting is basically free. Porting allows you to transfer your phone number from one phone company to another. (Note, I have had the same phone number since 1998 and have passed it between one carrier to another over the years.) Or if you can't for one reason or another or just can't convince your spouse to get rid of your landline (it took me a few years), then get a cheaper phone with another carrier on a smaller plan to save cost on the phone, minutes and data. This way you have backup and as I have discussed before having backups are always good!

Remember, the cell phone companies are running specials all the time, and your Bar Association may have a deal for you!