Cell-Phone-Only Homes Outnumber Landline Holdouts

Tue Aug 28, 2007 11:27PM EDT

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For the first time since these kinds of things have been tracked, the percentage of homes with cell phones only (14 percent) has surpassed the percentage of homes with only landline phones (12.3 percent). The trend is sure to keep moving in that direction as more young adults who rely on cell phones don't see the need for a landline and the additional bill that comes with it when they start paying rent.

That percentage shift, discovered between September 2006 and April 2007, comes from Mediamark Research, which has been following phone usage since the 1980s. In a survey of 13,000 U.S. homes, Mediamark found 84.5 percent of households have landlines, and 86.2 percent have at least one cell phone. Of course most of those homes are one and the same, but it shows we have clearly become a multi-phone species.

We're not ready to give up a landline just yet at our house. Has anyone left landline service behind? Or will you keep both for a long time to come?

LINK: Cell-Phone Only Homes Hit Milestone [New York Times] 

Comments on Cell-Phone-Only Homes Outnumber Landline Holdouts

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  • 2 Posted by dougdagaz on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:47PM EDT Report Abuse

    Funny you should ask... I am trying to convince my wife that we do not need 2 land lines along with her two cell phones (one for work and one personal), my cell phone, and my son's cell phone... yes, that is 6 numbers/phones... 2 land, 4 cell...hmmm I think it is time to bring it up again...

  • 3 Posted by bherrontn on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:06PM EDT Report Abuse

    It's not just young adults, I'm 50 and I gave up my land-line when I got broadband...and Skype. I still need a cell phone for emergencies and to receive calls at home but it's so much cheaper than my old land-line.

  • 4 Posted by kaplanchisholm on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:46PM EDT Report Abuse

    We know two families that no longer use landlines. It works just fine for getting in contact with them. I wish they would both get text in their plans so I could do that rather than call. You can't call anymore to just leave a message because it's always on their person. Remember the days when you would call specifically when you KNEW no one was home because you did't want to have a long conversation? gone....

  • 6 Posted by notlarryormoe on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:41PM EDT Report Abuse

    I haven't had a land line for 7 years. I've got a cell, my wife has a cell, and we get our internet via the cable.

  • 7 Posted by rogueist on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    No landline and I use my cellphone's SIM card in a Sony broadband card for my laptop to access the internet wherever I dont have a direct wired connection. They need to get to the point where they offer DSL without the need for phone service.

  • 8 Posted by mamakatsm on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:04PM EDT Report Abuse

    It's still important to have landlines when you have small kids. I don't want to rely on whether or not my babysitters cell phone battery is charged, or her emerency call gets dropped. A small child can dial 911 on a landline, if needed, and have their location show up on the system. They don't need to remember their address in an emergency or know what a cross street is. They are also easier for kids to use landlines than some of the more complicated (and all different) cell phones. I can teach my kids to pick up the phone and press 9-1-1, without any other buttons to confuse them.

  • 9 Posted by bar_tend_er on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:02PM EDT Report Abuse

    We have been a cell phone home no landlines for at least 2 years. We use cable for our internet service and no longer get all those tele marketing calls. My biggest problem with the landlines was the tele marketers you were supposed to be able to stop them but we had at least 5 or 6 every day. Also land lines don't work when the electric goes out. We keep our phones charged and because of car chargers even if your elctric goes out we can still charge them. Landlines will eventually become extinct in domestic homes!

  • 10 Posted by andrea_and_davin on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:53PM EDT Report Abuse

    We only use cell phones too. Although once our son gets old enough to learn 911, we plan on getting a basic landline for the same reasons mamakarsm said. A note to bar_tend_er, landlines do work when the power goes out, just not cordless phones. It of course it isn't recommended to use a cord phone during a lightening storm, but it will work in an emergency.

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