landline

The number of kids with cell phones is on the rise; earlier this year a study said that 20 percent of kids aged 6 to 11 have one. That may have some consequences, including the inability to operate a landline! In yesterday's Ask Amy advice column, a middle school secretary wrote in to remind parents to teach their kids how to use that more old-school way of placing a call. The problem? If there's an emergency where cell phone networks are down, or cell phones have no reception, children may not be able to get the help they need. The secretary noted that her school's kids didn't know to pick up the phone receiver, dial one before a long-distance area code, or even to listen for a dial tone. Perhaps most importantly, the children also had not remembered their parents' digits, since they are programmed into their cell phones.

The columnist advised parents to add the "Landline Talk" to the list of chats they need to have with their kids, like the traditional sex, drugs, and predator lessons. Do your kids remember your home or cell phone numbers, and do you teach them how to use a landline?

They're lovers, fighters, partiers, and coiners of ridiculous terms, but one thing the cast of Jersey Shore definitely isn't is high tech. At least not on the show. As with other MTV reality series like The Real World, the Jersey Shore house is equipped with only one house landline, and the cast members don't use any cell phones or computers during their stay. This has led to a number of made-for-TV moments. Check out my top five favorites from the Miami season after the break.

You love your cell phone, but do you have a landline? A recent study of over 21,000 households found that one in four households uses only mobile phones — that translates to 52 million adults and 19 million children. Certain expected factors contributed to a household's likelihood of being exclusively mobile. For example, renters are three times more likely than those who own their residences to be mobile-only, and nearly half of 25- to 29-year-olds (the age group with the highest percentage) live in a wireless-only home.

As expected, the least likely age group to be completely wireless is over 65; only 5.2 percent of those surveyed in this group had only a mobile phone. Nearly two years ago, most of you relied solely on your phone, but are you still rocking a landline?

Even though there's been a ton of back and forth between AT&T and Verizon on who has the better cellular network, AT&T isn't letting that stop it from making its next big move: attempting to drop landlines from its service. AT&T filed paperwork with the FCC recently to begin moving all of its service to an IP-based network (or VoIP — like using Skype, only through a home phone), essentially hacking your old telephone jack from the wall.

Personally, I don't see the need for a landline anymore (the only reason I signed up for one was because it got me a cheaper rate on my Internet), and given the fact that only 20 percent of Americans still use landlines (like my grandpa and a family friend who still uses dial-up) I'd say it won't be too tough of a transition. Even grandpa has a cell phone and knows how to use it! Plus, it's pretty costly for AT&T to come out and install the landline in your home alongside Internet and digital TV — would a consolidation of services equal a savings for customers?

What do you think — would you be for an all IP-based and cellular phone network, or would it be too hard for you to give up your trusty landline?