I just saved even more money than I planned.

See, a while back we switched from Southwestern Bell to Time Warner digital phone service. We were sick of picking up our land line phone and receiving an earful of static, or dialing a number only to have it somehow misrouted by Ma Bell. (Yes, that actually happened on a number of occasions.) That wasn’t too big a deal: we both have cell phones and pretty much use them exclusively.

What finally led us to make the change, though, was the realization we were paying over $30 per month just to have the land line that our home security system requires. Meanwhile, as TWC cable customers we were eligible to add Time Warner digital phone to our service plan for just $5 more per month. Hey, we like saving money as much as anyone, and we’ve heard some pretty good reports about their service. So making the switch was a no-brainer.

Or so we thought.

A few days after changing over — while keeping the same number — our home security provider sent out a notice to all of its customers saying they couldn’t guarantee their system would work on digital phone lines. Therefore, their notice read, they can’t be held responsible if the alarm system malfunctions.

Bull.

What the notice failed to explain is that it’s the security company’s choice to keep their system from working reliably for customers with VoIP or digital phone. They just need to install a cellular unit to transmit signal regardless of power-outages. And unlike a landline, which is easily cut by a determined thief, those cell units can’t be easily disabled.

Naturally, I called to ask why they hadn’t explained this to customers, many of whom would be happy to pay a small additional amount because they’d still save more after switching. Their response? They didn’t want to be liable in the event the cellular unit goes out, too. What, like they’d be liable if SW Bell went out?

As it turns out, we made two switches this month: first to Time Warner digital phone and then to another (bigger) security provider who offered the cell unit as part of its package, which costs less per month than our old company charged.

So, thank you, to my old security company. Your resistance to change didn’t just save me the $25 when I switched phone providers, but another $30 when I switched security providers, too. That, sad to say, is the best service you’ve ever done us.