As the world marches towards complete wireless saturation, the number of landlines continues to dwindle. The latest, most up-to-date study from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) indicates that more than 1-in-5 US households are wire-free. It seems that 20.2% of US homes shunned wireline service in favor of a wireless only lifestyle in the second half of 2008, an increase of 2.7% from the first half of the year.
The 6-month increase from 1H 2008 to 2H 2008 is the most significant increase since the survey began its bi-yearly poll in 2003. The results match up with other studies that indicated continued trending towards wireless only living. And, it seems that even wireline customers are relying more and more on their mobile phones. Among US households with a landline telephone, 14.5% made and received calls almost exclusively on their cellphones.
The NHIS conducted this latest survey from June to December of 2008, asking 12,597 households about their telephone status. The survey covered 23,726 civilian adults aged 18 years and over and 8,635 children under age 18.
It should be interesting to see what the NHIS survey finds for the first half of 2009. With the economy still struggling and Americans looking to save a buck wherever they can, it wouldn’t be too big a surprise to see another record increase in wireless only homes.
[Via: CDC]