Who even uses a home phone anymore?
The home phone rings, it’s a deafening cry for attention at my home. This is the only phone that probably rings more than twice. Our landline will ring, and ring until even the heavens above cannot take it anymore, and it finally goes to the automated answering machine. Apparently we’ve won another trip to Hawaii, we just need to call them back!
Statistics Canada has some interesting info from 2010 about the use of landlines. The proportion of households that used only traditional landlines fell from 22 per cent in 2008 to 17 per cent in 2010. About 38 per cent of households comprised solely of people aged 55 and over had only a traditional landline compared with 7 per cent for households comprised of people 54 and under.
These statistics suggest that landlines for a younger generation are on a decline, and I can’t seem to agree more. Unless a landline is bundled onto my internet fee free of charge, then yes, I wouldn’t mind having a landline in my future mansion, but if that’s not an option why bother paying for something that really only is convenient when 
Photo by Clayton Goodwinyou’re at home?
Granted if you’re at home for significant amounts of time, let’s say you work at home, then yes, a landline still makes sense. For the rest of us though, does it really matter? Isn’t it much more convenient just to have your cellphone around you at all times?
This does raise the issue of being ‘addicted’ to wireless technology, but I for one welcome our new wireless overlords. I meanm the Yellow Pages, once the Internet’s fiercest competitor, is merely a shell of its former self. You look things up online now, times are-a-changin’.
The most I’ve seen a phonebook used for in recent years is being ripped in half for either enjoyment or to settle a bet with non-believers.
Maybe, in an apocalyptic situation, when our new wireless gods have forsaken us and all we’re left with is landlines amidst a sea of chaos and zombies, then maybe I will consider switching back or at least attempting to find and locate a landline.
Until then though, I’ll just keep letting my home phone ring endlessly until someone cares to pick it up. You can reach me on my cell-phone.