Announcing the Coalition Against Landlines…

The average landline phone household spends $40 a month for that service. That’s $480 a year you can save by going cell-only, something more and more households are doing these days. According to a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 17.5 percent American households depended solely on cellphones for their telephone communications during the first half of 2008. And 13.3 percent received all or most of their calls on cellphones, though they had landlines in their homes as well. “The percentage of adults living in wireless-only households has been steadily increasing,” the CDC said in a release explaining its findings. “During the first 6 months of 2008, nearly one out of every six adults lived in wireless-only households. One year before that one out of every eight adults lived in wireless-only households. And 2 years before that, only 1 out of every 15 adults lived in wireless-only households.”

Quite a trend developing here and one certain to quicken, thanks to the deepening recession. “There’s clearly a reason to give up a landline phone if budgets are tight,” CDC scientist Stephen Blumberg told The Associated Press. “Given the current economic environment, I’d not be surprised to see more and more people give up their landline phones for economic reasons.”

$480 buys a lot of Ramen….

(Image credit: Justin Hancock)

http://www.weseed.com Carlos Portocarrero

I don’t know how much this plays into it, but what about DSL? I pay around $10 for the landline because DSL is cheaper than getting Internet through Cable. Total cost per month of phone and Internet? Around $40. Thanks, but I’ll keep my landline even if I only use it for email and skype.
http://allthingsd.com/ Dave Barnes

Easy for you to say John.
But, take a look at Qwest’s territory and ask yourself how many of their customers could go without a land line.
Sometimes, people forget just how large and sparsely populated the wide-open West is.
Christopher Risdon

I would say that DSL is a valid exception – as well as a couple others (I have a friend that needs a land line for her home security system to work).

But if there isn’t an auxiliary need (such as those above), I’m not sure why anyone would keep their landline for the sake of having a telephone line. (if they also have a mobile phone)

I’ve been landline-free since 2000 after realizing that no one called me on my landline number – they always called my mobile phone. I haven’t encountered a time in 8 years when I wish I had a landline.

I’m sure there are other reasons, so I’m not arguing a case – it’s a matter of preferences and lifestyle. I’m just actually surprised the % without isn’t higher.
http://blog.macb.net Mac Beach

First company to offer me unlimited Internet and reliable phone service wins. If they threw in cell phone or “TV” of some sort that would be a bonus.

In my area both Verizon and Comcast offer bundles with all (or most) of the above. Problem is these bundles don’t actually offer discounts that are all that great. For big TV watchers, the Comcast deal is probably more attractive. For non-TV folks like me the Verizon deal is slightly better.

It would be nice if there were real competition in these areas.

I’m sure Obama will fix it all for us.
m alexander stiffman

I do not understand how anyone can use a cell phone to carry on an important conversation, such as straightening out a messed up credit card account or ordering an expensive piece of merchandise. Most of the time I use Email to engage in such aforementioned transactions. But if it becomes necessary to use the telephone, I always use my land line. My experience with cell phones is that words or phrases are often dropped — so that one very often has to ask the other party to repeat what has been said. I have Verizon wireless, and their commercial where the guy says “can you hear me now” is characteristic of my conversations. BTW I live in an urban area, so I do not lack for coverage. I can see how business people on the go rely on this service. But I have a question: How is it that women in big SUVs, navigating parking lots, are always on their cell phones??

Announcing the Coalition Against Landlines…

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