The new wave of the future is already here. Cell phones have not only been introduced into households, they have now overtaken the landline as the dominant form of communication in the home. For a long time, both cell phones and landlines were used in households; however, now that dial-up internet is more than on the decline, people seldom have use for two different kinds of phone communication devices, and the landline seems to be the first to go.
Although there are pros and cons to both sides, cell phones seem to be winning out time and time again. Predominantly landline phone companies have been offering lowered rates on basic packages and discounts on long distance usage in an effort to try and regain some of their previous business. Some companies offer both landline and cell service at a discount if you subscribe to both, or if you add a cell to your current landline bill and have everything conveniently combined.
Having a landline is definitely a good choice in an emergency. It is always there in your home in case of a dead cell phone battery or a missing cell phone. But the majority of consumers cannot see the sense in having two bills that are generally for the same amount of money for the same function, especially if they have more than enough minutes on their cell phone each month to do all their conversing. The landline is inconsequentially less expensive, and the added features on a cell phone make it much more tempting. Just one added bonus with cell phones is that they can be used for text messaging, an increasingly popular means of communication.
In making the choice between a landline and a cell phone, the use of text messaging greatly increases the popularity of the cell phone. Being able to use the cell phone for more than one means of communication is a great factor in why people are choosing to rid themselves of a costly and somewhat useless landline in favour of the extremely functional cell phone. Text messaging allows one to communicate confidentially and silently even in a roomful of people, in situations when using a regular landline phone would not be feasible. Short communications or even long, involved conversations can be had over the text messaging function of a cell phone. When such communication is available, the use of a landline seems highly overrated and pales in comparison.
So many people these days find themselves downsizing their bills to match their budget, and many times these days the landline is the first thing to go. In the long run, the benefits of cell phone usage as opposed to landline usage seem to greatly outweigh the disadvantages. As long as you keep your battery charged up and take good care that the cell phone does not become damaged, pay your bill on time, and remain in an area where tower strength is strong, you should have no problems using your cell phone as your primary means of communication.
