Last updated 17-Jul-2026
No — you don’t need a landline for a medical alert system. Modern systems run on the 4G LTE cellular network: the at-home LTE base station, the GPS pendant and the smartwatch all work with no phone line at all. But if you still have a landline, you can use it to save $10 a month. Here’s the whole decision in two minutes.
Why did alert systems ever need landlines?
The classic design — base station plugged into the wall phone jack — dates from when every home had a phone line. The base dialled the monitoring centre over your telephone service. That design still exists because it’s reliable and cheap to run, not because the technology requires it.
What are the no-landline options?
- LTE at-home system — $39.99/month CAD: same base station and wearable button, connected over the cellular network. Needs a wall outlet and cell coverage at your address — nothing else. No internet required.
- GPS pendant — $54.99/month CAD: the whole system in one wearable; works anywhere in Canada with LTE coverage.
- Smartwatch — $59.99/month CAD: same coverage as the pendant, worn as a watch, with heart rate and steps.
Prices checked 17-Jul-2026 — details on the pricing page.
When is keeping the landline worth it?
If you already pay for a landline and life happens mostly at home, the landline system is $29.99/month CAD — $10 less every month than LTE, with identical monitoring. Landlines also shrug off cell dead zones, which still exist in rural pockets. Don’t keep a $40 phone line just to save $10 on monitoring, though — that math loses.
What about VoIP “home phone” from my internet company?
Cable-company phone service (VoIP) can work with landline-style systems, but it fails when your internet or power fails — which is when you least want surprises. If your “landline” is really VoIP, we recommend the LTE version: it has its own connection and a 24-hour backup battery.
The two-question decision
1. Do you have a real copper landline you’re keeping anyway? Yes → landline system, save $10/month. No → LTE or mobile. 2. Does life happen beyond the yard? Yes → pendant or watch. No → at-home system. Unsure about cell coverage at your address? Call us — we’ll check it with you: 1-800-000-0000.