Projecting on a straight-line basis suggests that by 2015 more than half of American households won’t have a traditional landline phone in their house. This is a staggering possibility but not far-fetched. In fact the landline could be even less relevant if the trend accelerates. Imagine new buildings and subdivisions that don’t even install this technology.
Of course, don’t imagine it in Canada. At the current rate (only 13% are wireless only), we won’t see the end of the landline for some time.
Over the past two years the move to wireless only has clearly moved from the “early adopters” to become a widespread phenomenon. Three in ten is nearing a mass practice and mass practices, especially when they emerge first among the young, tend to spread faster and faster until the trend runs into the resistance of late-adopters.
Is there any chance for the traditional phone? The answer is probably no unless there is a greater use of this technology to deliver other services.