At the end of 2022, 73% of Americans lived in a home without a landline. They are wireless only. And since that figure tripled from 2010 to 2022 you can bet that percentage is even higher now.

Because of changing technology and expense, and decreasing demand, phone providers are very close to phasing them out completely. You may soon not have a choice.

In fact, according to cnn.com California just applied for a waiver to be allowed to stop servicing traditional landlines there.

The old landlines work on copper and service providers are replacing old copper wire-based phone systems with faster, more advanced technology that doesn’t work with landlines. These changes are happening not only across the U.S. but in France and the UK.

Gary Shannon
Gary Shannon
loading...

An AT&T spokesperson said, “We are focused on enhancing our network with more advanced, higher speed technologies like fiber and wireless, which consumers are demanding.”

Phone service providers in the U.S. are required to offer customers an alternative to landlines and use technology to convert analog signals to digital, either with fiber optic cables or wireless technology, like LTE/5G.

It’s been estimated by 2030 only 5% of landlines will remain. The clock is ticking.

I think the last time I had a landline was 2003. Well, that’s the last time I had a landline phone. I did have landline service in Hillsborough 10 years ago but only because of a three-in-one price bundle that made everything cheaper. I never even bought a phone to plug into that landline service. Couldn’t even tell you what that phone number was. I’ve only used cell phones for 21 years.

Close up of hands woman using cell phone.
LDProd
loading...

You still have time. It’s not like the phone gestapo is kicking your door in. Just know your landline phone’s days are numbered. It will soon be hanging out with VCRs and typewriters in technology heaven.

LOOK: Things from the year you were born that don't exist anymore

The iconic (and at times silly) toys, technologies, and electronics have been usurped since their grand entrance, either by advances in technology or breakthroughs in common sense. See how many things on this list trigger childhood memories—and which ones were here and gone so fast you missed them entirely.

Gallery Credit: Stacey Marcus

LOOK: 35 Vintage Cereals That Perfectly Captured Pop Culture Moments

Movies and TV shows have always found ways to partner with cereal companies as part of their promotion strategy. While some may have come up with a giveaway in boxes, others went big by having their own cereal connected to the movie or TV show title. Here are vintage cereals that were used to promote some of pop culture's biggest moments (and some you probably forgot about).

Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

You can now listen to Deminski & Doyle — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite afternoon radio show any day of the week. Download the Deminski & Doyle show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now.

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.

More From 94.3 The Point