From Landlines to Cell Phones

The way people communicate with each other is ever-changing. It all started when Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone back in the late 1800’s, but this invention has transformed into modern convenience over time.

The old-fashioned telephone that uses a landline to hook into your wall is becoming sparce. The Centers for Disease Control is reporting that about 25% of US households are cell phone-only homes.

"It’s more popular than ever. I mean everyone’s got a cell phone. It used to be more of a luxury item but now it’s a necessity, " says Sprint store manager, Brandon Cornell.

"More people i try to get in touch with, you don’t get them at home. You get them on their cell, " says cell phone user Elaine Embrey.

"In my line of work, we often ask people their phone number and they’ll say they don’t have a home number anymore. They just have a cell phone, " says cell phone user Lisa Eagle.

The trend seems to target two sectors of the population…the younger generation and those who have a lower income.

"It’s cheaper. I know I did that because why pay $60 to have a phone when it was really just to have a phone when I could get cheaper service and combine it all together when I had my cell phone, " says Eagle.

Cell phones are offering some options that the landlines can’t compete with.

"Just convenience. It’s always in my pocket. At home, you have to run for it. You can put it in your car. You can put it in your purse. It’s handy, " says Embrey.

"The landline phones, you can’t text. You can’t use GPS. A lot of these phones are like the smart phones are like small computers, " says Cornell.

Cornell says he does see cell phones are the primary method of communication in this day and age…with landlines becoming obsolete within the next decade.

"Eventually, a lot of people will convert over. We’re starting to see more and more people do it all the time, " says Cornell.

The Midwest is the leader is the number of households that are cell phone-only homes. More than 25% of homes in the region have taken the step to go wireless.