1 In 4 Households Have Cut The Cord & Switched To Cell Phones
According to data reported by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four households has traded in their landline telephone for a cell phone. As you may expect, this trend is increasing. In the beginning of 2006, just 11 percent of homes had only a cell and no landline.
This move away from traditional landline phones has had a far-reaching effect. Telephone companies are not the only ones affected, either. Polling firms and government agencies that gather data also face additional challenges as a result of the decrease in landlines. Additionally, 911 service providers have had to find additional options when it comes to locating people who are in need of help.
Today, just 15 percent of households have a traditional landline telephone and no cell phone. As you may guess, the majority – 6 in 10 households – have both a landline and a traditional cell phone. This figure has remained pretty consistent since the beginning of 2007.
Other interesting facts from the report:
- More than a third of people under age 35 have only cell phones. In contrast, only about 1 in 20 people age 65 and older rely solely on cell phones.
- More than 4 in 10 renters had only cells. This is about triple the rate for homeowners.
- Adults living in the Northeast were less likely to have only a cell phone and no landline. In this group, 15 percent of adults relied solely on a cell compared to other parts of the country which ranged from 22 to 26 percent.
