by Denise Massie
Within the past five years, many consumers have gone from using a land-line telephone as their primary phone service to just a wireless cell phone.
But even as technology advances, allowing cell phones to offer more features, some phone company representatives say the land-line phone is here to stay.
Pulaski/White Communications Inc., based out of Star City, does not feel the growing number of cell phones being used will threaten its business.
“We still have people with land-line phones,” said Marketing Director Teresa Shaver. “Our concern with cell phones, we tell our customers to remember when calling 9-1-1, it does not give the exact location.”
While she has seen a decrease in the number of land-line customers, she said the company tries to remind people of different issues with just having a cell phone, including dead batteries or poor reception.
“We stress to have a land-line for the safety of the customer,” she added.
Bill Kula, regional spokesperson for Verizon, has also seen a slow shift over the years of people using a cell phone as their primary phone service.
The company conducted a survey earlier this year, which showed a promising future for the land-line business.
“The overwhelming majority of customers we surveyed this year — 83 percent — indicated they would intend to use traditional wire phone as primary voice tool for foreseeable future,” said Kula. “Reliability and safety are the primary reasons why they continue to use a land phone.”
Brooke Robertson, local store manager of U.S. Cellular, said more people prefer cell phones for the portability and ability to be connected at all times.
“We are noticing the younger generation, college-aged and those recently graduated, never even get connected to a land line,” she said.
The customers Robertson has talked to mostly use a land-line phone for Internet connection and a cell phone as the primary phone, she said.
She also feels more people will make the switch in years to come, as technology advances for Internet connection options.
For those who are concerned about having the same land-line number for years, Robertson said number portability has allowed customers to transfer a home number into a cell phone number.
Both phone options seem to have pros and cons, depending on what the customer is looking for.
Cell phones offer portability and the owner can always carry their cellular devices with them. The phone also offers different communication options, such as text messaging and the ability to check Internet and e-mail.
Walton resident Kelly Schlosser said this is an important feature for her.
“I can be reached at anytime of the day no matter where I am at,” she said. “If the school or baby-sitter has to get a hold of me I’m always available.”
Robertson said some cell phones even offer GPS, which can give turn-by-turn directions.
As for emergency services, Robertson said cell phones now have enhanced 9-1-1 capabilities.
“They can tract within a quarter of a mile to locate you,” she said.
While Schlosser said her reception is not great in all places, she still believes having a cell phone is more beneficial than a land line because of the unlimited calling plans and text messaging options.
She also said likes that, as long as she doesn’t go over her allotted minutes, her bill is always the same every month.
Shaver pointed out that land-lines also have their positives, including dependability, cost savings with unlimited local calling, directory listing and quality service.
“We offer local customer service,” she said. “When you call that your phone is out, we are right there to take care of it.”
Kula said most people opt to stay with a land-line phone for a security factor. If someone is in an emergency situation, the land-line phone provides more information to be received by emergency management personal, he said.
“With land-line phones, emergency responders will not only see who you are, what phone you are calling from, but also pin point precisely where you are calling from,” he said. “A cell phone will give a general location but not specifically where you are located.”
Kula added that many people choose to keep a land-line phone for technological reasons, such as broadband and high-speed Internet connectivity.
To answer the changing technology and demands by customers, Verizon and other major phone companies are introducing bundling options for wireless service and broadband. A television service can also be added in some areas.
“It’s all placed on one bill,” he said. “That is designed to help us hold on to as many customers as possible even if they don’t choose to keep their land line.”
Verizon’s versatility allows the phone company to stay ahead and not worry about the changing technology, Kula said.
Even though the company has seen an average of 8 to 9 percent loss of land-line customers each year during the past five years, it maintains some 69 million wireless subscribers in the country, according to Kula.
As for the small independent phone companies, even though they aren’t able to pull revenue from wireless service, revenue is still coming in the door, said Kula. He doesn’t feel the smaller companies are in complete danger due to changing technology.
“It depends on how efficient they run their company,” he said.
For Schlosser, opting to keep just a cell phone made more sense.
“I am a single mother and always on the go, so having a cell phone is more convenient for me,” she said. “The cost of gas and food prices going up, the less bills I have to pay is a lot better for me in the long run.”
It’s people like Schlosser that make Kula believe the usage of land-line phone will continue to decrease over time, but he said people shouldn’t worry about it becoming extinct.
“The wired telephone is not going away with the dinosaur,” he said. “It will continue to be a versatile part of the society for decades to come.”
Denise Massie can be reached at (574) 732-5151 or via e-mail at denise.massie@pharostribune.com
