130 years ago, the first landline was introduced. This phone system is distributed over a copper network. The wireless industry is becoming almost ubiquitous, with 326 million devices being used today by the Wireless Association. This number is comparable to 102 per cent of the U.S. Population. However, there’s still a market for the traditional home telephone line.

Major telecom companies claim that they have no plans to alter the technology for most of their copper customers. These services are still available to customers who request them, even though the number of landlines used has declined precipitously. By the end of 2011, only about one in four people will have a traditional landline. Nearly 40 percent of people consider their cell phones their primary communication device.

Traditional landlines, according to telecom companies, are still an option for consumers, as phone companies strive to find the best fit.

Homeowners have more options thanks to infrastructure upgrades that improve mobile coverage and increase Internet and TV service. Verizon, for example, has used its extensive wireless networks to launch Voice Link wireless home phones. This option is claimed to improve home phone service, provide more choice for customers, and help reduce disruptions in areas that have poor infrastructure. Customers who use wireless home phones can tap into an existing network to access traditional home phone services. It receives the same basic service and dial tone as a traditional home phone, but at a lower price.

Verizon isn’t the only company that offers a similar service. AT&T just announced a competing product that supplies voice service. Walmart and the AARP have joined the fray, offering voice-only products.

Telecommunication executives insist wireless home phone service does not replace traditional land lines. Customers who are still having issues with their copper-fed service may find wireless home phone service a good alternative.

Fiber optic providers, cable companies, and voice over Internet providers all compete for landline customers. They offer traditional home phone services to TV and internet subscribers at affordable prices. Customers today have many telecom options at their disposal.

 

Note to editors: This is a regional story that targets the Northeast states, specifically New York and New Jersey.