Mobile Phones Replacing Landlines

It is becoming more common for households to rely purely on mobile phones and no longer have the traditional landline. In fact, statistics released by the US Labour Department in 2007 showed that US households were expected to spend more on mobile phones than landlines services for that year. The figures revealed that there were nearly 250 million mobile phones in use nationwide. This compared to only 170 million landlines in use.

In Australia, according to information released by the Australian Communications Media Authority (ACMA), nearly 3.3 million Australians aged 18 had replaced the landline by mobile phones. That is one in five households no longer using a landline for telephone calls. Not unexpectedly, those over 65 are less likely have replaced the landline.  According to the Australian Communications Media Authority (ACMA), the growth rates of this group (65+) are larger than average and more than doubling year on year.

However, the phone line is still used for the internet. Only 3% of the Australian population not having a personal fixed-line service of any kind. Whilst the numbers for full mobile substitution are low, there is a rapid growth rate in this at around 70% in the last year.

Why mobile phones are replacing landlines:-

1. The most obvious reason is the portability of mobile phones, meaning you can take them anywhere with you.
2. Mobile phones are more than a telephone. Mobile phones are a social network. You can text as well as send and receive emails on a mobile phone. It is also a personal navigator and a camera to mention just a few features.
3. It can be quicker to make a call from a mobile phone as they contain all contacts which are very easy to access.
4. Mobiles are more fun. They can be personalized with ringtones and wallpapers.
5. Mobiles also include applications that include games to keep the children occupied.
6. It’s fashionable to have a mobile phone. In fact, it is downright unfashionable to not have one!
7. Some places you can’t get a landline.
8. Landlines are not safe to be used during an electrical storm.

Disadvantages of mobile phones:-

1. Plans can be costly.
2. Mobiles are not as reliable. There is the possibility of dropped calls, dead zones and poor voice quality. In general, mobile phones are less dependable than landlines.
3. Mobile phones need to be kept charged. Landlines do not. If your battery runs down, you may not be able to make or receive calls until it is recharged.
4. It is easier to lose your mobile phone.  Mobile phones can also be stolen. Thus, you can be caught without a phone until you purchase a new one.

Mobiles for Business

Research indicates that mobiles will replace landlines in the business environment too. According to research from Virgin Media Business which interviewed 500 UK CIOs, 65% of respondents believed landlines would no longer be an everyday tool in corporate environments by 2017. Furthermore, an overwhelming 87% stated that landlines would be redundant within the next five years. This is due to the rise in use of mobile phones.

The growth of mobile technology is due to mobile connections to the internet improving all the time. This means that office workers are becoming increasingly reliant on smartphones and less on landlines.

This article was written by Mark Kotorac, Computer Technician and Owner of Affordable Computer Repairs and Service.