Landlines versus Mobile Phones

When I was growing up, I distinctly remember a black contraption with a rotary dial parked somewhere in our living room. The time I was allowed to finally answer it when it rang or make a call on my own was one of the proud moments of my young life.

telephone In recent years, however, the landline phone as we know it seems to be going out of style. The introduction of cell phones seems to have made the landline phone obsolete, and I will have to admit that I am one of those who no longer maintain a landline phone at home.

The landline is a wired phone line that relies on, well, wires. It can only be used within the confines of the area in which it is installed, and the most convenient it can go is if a cordless phone unit is connected to the line, which means you can at least take it out as far as your porch or garage, but that’s about it. So what do we do? We have extension lines installed in our room and on the kitchen wall, just so we can still function a bit even though we are on the phone.

In contrast, cell phones can be brought around with you – even halfway across the globe. It is always within reach and comfortable fit in your purse or your pocket. With the arrival of the smart phone, the mobile phone can even do more than just call; it can send and receive text messages, surf the net, and retrieve and send e-mails.