Comments on: Jonathan Jensen – Ditch the landline?

By: Steve Johns

Steve Johns — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:02:38 +0000

Its now being offered in Australia. About frigin time!!!! The plans are not exactly cheap but still cheaper than paying for a phone line and calls!!! (see AU plans here. http://broadbandguide.com.au/naked-dsl/plans )

By: Steve Johns

Steve Johns — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:02:38 +0000

By: Ricky Chotai

Ricky Chotai — Thu, 29 May 2008 20:15:51 +0000

neither do I at uni, I do however have a VOIP line!

By: Mike42

Mike42 — Thu, 29 May 2008 15:56:25 +0000

I'm paying BT something in the order of

By: smstextnews

smstextnews — Thu, 29 May 2008 15:16:06 +0000

Me either!

By: Geoff Wright

Geoff Wright — Thu, 29 May 2008 14:53:45 +0000

I don't have a landline.

By: smstextnews

smstextnews — Thu, 29 May 2008 14:26:06 +0000

For a fee, Ben, payable quarterly in advance

By: Ben Smith

Ben Smith — Thu, 29 May 2008 12:37:28 +0000

Any chance we could move the boundary for 'old' to, say, 35?

By: Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Thu, 29 May 2008 11:40:06 +0000

I think for the older generation, (ie: above 30), dropping the land line all together is a tough one for all the reasons you point out above. However, for the younger generation, (sub 30), it is a no brainer. They stopped using their parents land line years ago for personal calls so as to have privacy, so when they move out on their own, they simply skip land lines all together.

I believe the number in North America is something around 17% of households have no land line. The vast majority of these are in the sub-30 crowd. They can't be bothered by the expense, and as you point out, the only calls coming in would not be for them, but a sales call, as all of their friends have their mobile number.

What this means is as this generation ages, so ages into extinction the land line. It is neither valued nor wanted by this younger generation that sees no need for the extra expense. In addition, as for power outages, do remember that the vast majority of phones in the US are powered by electricity, and when power goes off, so does your ability to make calls...