A new report confirms what many of us already know: cell phones are becoming the primary and only phones for a certain age group.
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that more than half (51%) of Americans 25-29 do not have landline service and the cell phone is their primary line of communication. Overall, 27% of Americans depend solely on a cell phone.
If you include the 18-24 year olds and the 30-34 year olds, nearly 40% of American households don’t have a landline. The survey also found that 16% of household still have landlines but receive most of their calls on the cell phone. The landline is probably still kept around in order to get DSL services or dial-up Internet.
It’s not surprising to me, as cell phones offer a convenience and functionality that are lacking with landline devices and it’s been quite a while since we’ve seen any innovation in this space. I think the Verizon Hub was the last thing I got excited about in the fixed calling space and that was quickly discontinued.
As smartphones like the iPhone 4 and Android become the standard, I’d expect this trend to continue because these devices are so compelling. I still worry about not having a landline during emergencies – cell service can be notoriously bad during natural disasters – but not enough to pay $30 a month for a phone that I never use.
This is just another sign that communication is evolving. Sure, people aren’t using a fixed telephone line as much but I’d venture to say that people are communicating more than ever nowadays. Now, I can contact people via e-mail, instant messenger, Facebook, Twitter, Skype, text, Kik and more.
What do you think about this survey? Have you kicked your landline to the curb or do you still have it just in case.