The home phone, also known as the landline, has been progressively disappearing from modern homes largely due to the rise of alternative technology. The landline is experiencing a change that has occurred to many other utilities and technologies, such as the telegraph, the combustion engine, or even to some extent, the printing press (Vorhaus, 2021). The main factor contributing to a similar decline in the home phone is the alternative of the mobile phone. It provides the same essential service with added advantages that include other applications, mobility, less maintenance, personalization, and ease of use. As such, the transition to the mobile phone and the abandonment seems like an inherent side-effect of technological innovation and customer need for devices that have greater capabilities and options.
Despite this expected change, the landline provides a number of benefits that can often be overlooked. The landline is an item that is not usually powered by electric circuits in the home and is more likely to be receiving small amounts of electricity from a main grid. This provides a viable solution for communication in cases of accidents, natural disasters, or any other situation that does not allow for electrical use. Some may argue that the landline is also an element of socializing at home. Because it is an item used by more than one person, it provides a sense of community within a household (Cho, 2019). In my personal experience, the use of the mobile phone can be quite isolating and distracting due to its advantages, and a landline had been healthier in this regard.
Works Cited
Cho, J. (2019). How the Loss of the Landline Is Changing Family Life. The Atlantic. Web.
Vorhaus, M. (2021). Americans Use Their Mobile Phone To Replace Their Landline Phones. Forbes. Web.