I still use my landline with answering service, very convenient, no beeps, no flashes, no unwanted/ useless messages in the middle of the night, totally under my control who I will answer for and who I will not! Just the way it should be.
My backup PC is a 25yo 386 running xp - still works a treat, albeit very slow but judging by the optus experience being slow is no impediment when you have no service at all!