During a recent nationwide cellphone service outage, Francella Jackson, 61, of Fairview Heights, Illinois, turned to her trusty Southwestern Bell landline to connect with friends and share a laugh at the inconvenience faced by cellphone users.
Similarly, Derek Shaw, 68, from York, Pennsylvania, prefers the reliability and comfort of his cordless landline over his Android mobile phone. For him, the superior sound quality and ease of use during lengthy conversations make the landline a clear winner. Shaw, who cherishes face-to-face interactions over Zoom and still holds onto his vinyl record collection from the 1990s, sees the landline as an essential part of his communication setup.
Despite the ubiquity of smartphones, many still view landlines as indispensable. Prompted by recent outages and the push to phase out traditional landlines, advocates like Jackson and Shaw defend their use, citing the lifeline they provide during power outages, their nostalgic appeal, and the superior sound quality they offer compared to smartphones.
For younger individuals like Cory Sechrest, 32, of Chicago, there’s also a charm in having a landline as a backup during emergencies. Although it’s uncommon among his peers, Sechrest and his girlfriend have embraced a pink landline phone, which elicits curiosity and chuckles from visitors.
While the majority of American adults have transitioned to relying solely on cellphones, a significant portion still find value in maintaining a landline connection. Age remains a significant factor, with younger demographics predominantly opting for cellphones while older generations hold onto the familiarity and reliability of landlines.
