From: Benjamin.Kubelsky@verizon.net  
    
  On 7/8/2014 11:35 AM, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:  
  > 41% of American homes are now wireless-only  
  > It's not just Millennials anymore--a growing number of older American  
  adults  
  are getting rid of their landlines and going cellphone-only. 41 percent of  
  U.S. households were wireless-only by of the end of 2013, according to new  
  data from the National  
  Center for Health Statistics.  
  >  
  > http://time.com/#2966515/landline-phones-cell-phones/  
  >  
  > The high percentage of landline dumpers surprises me; I thought it was  
  about  
  20-30% of homes that are landline only.  
  >  
  > I am also surprised about the extent of data transmission, unless that  
  includes simple messaging like texting and twitter.  
  >  
  > To me, a cellphone is a terrible device for Internet access as the screen  
  is  
  so small.  I much prefer a conventional computer (and a desktop at that).  
  >  
  > But apparently I'm 'disconnected' from the communications world.  
  >  
  >  
  > Side question:  How wonder how many remaining landlines still have a  
  rotary-dial phone connected with them?  I would guess a reasonable amount as  
  many people merely left an old phone attached to their line for emergency  
  use  
  or convenience (such as a  
  basement phone or one in a room not regularly used).  
  >  
  > I also wonder how many calls today are placed from a rotary dial unit  
  sending pulses.  Here I would suspect a very low percentage.  Does the telco  
  ever release statistics about that?  
  >  
    
  I have a rotary attached to my landline. It is on the counter, next to  
  the stove in the kitchen, and, unlike the modern phones, it is  
  unaffected by cooking grease, fumes, splashes, etc.  
    
  I do often answer it, when it rings and I'm nearby, though I usually  
  switch to a cordless phone if I'm going to be long. But, since even to  
  call across the street takes 10 digits these days, and I have fewer and  
  fewer valid telephone numbers in my head, I don't use it to dial out  
  much. Once a year or so, I do it, just for kicks.  
    
  Oh, and one of the reasons I keep my landline is that cell reception  
  inside my home is pretty bad. It's okay in the living room, but the back  
  bedroom, where I am in the evenings, is another story. The cell will  
  ring, but having a conversation is nearly impossible. It doesn't seem to  
  matter much which cell provider is involved. Radio and television  
  reception isn't very good there, either.  
    
  Regards,  
    
  DAve  
    
  *Oh, here in earthquake country, the safety folks warn that cell service  
  will most likely be unavailable (due to overload) for some hours, or  
  perhaps days after a large quake. Another reason to keep the landline.  
    
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