It may seem difficult for younger readers to fathom but according to a recent survey from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the number of homes and apartments in the US that only have cellphone service has only recently surpassed those with landline service.
In a survey for the second half of 2016, the CDC found that 50.8 percent of US households only had mobile phone service – up from 48.3 percent in the year-ago period. The survey further notes that 39.4 percent of households have both wireless and traditional phone service while just 6.5 percent relied exclusively on landlines.
Meanwhile, 3.2 percent of homes questioned had no phone connection of any sort.
Stephen J. Blumberg, the study’s co-author, noticed some interesting “commonalities” among those who only have cellular service. Such users are more likely to drink heavily, more likely to smoke and be uninsured, he said, concluding that there certainly is something about giving up a landline that appeals to the same people who may engage in risky behavior.
As the Standard Examiner highlights, landline phones can come in handy when someone misplaces or breaks their mobile device and is waiting for a replacement.
The data comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health Interview Survey which tracks landline use to assure representative samples in health studies, the Standard Examiner notes. Nearly 20,000 households were polled during a six-month span.
