Does Anyone Still Have A Landline?

In an era of smartphones, the thought of a landline dials up nostalgic memories for many of us—of Friday nights spent gushing with classmates about crushes or of weekly catch-ups with out-of-town grandparents. Sure, cell phones are more convenient in a number of ways, but there’s something to be said for the old faithful landlines too. Here’s why we’ll always have a soft spot for them.

First things first, for lots of folks, having a landline is a matter of practicality and accessibility. “We have one in my family’s home because the cell service is so bad in our tiny mountain town,” says assistant editor Cameron Beall. “I remember sitting on the kitchen counter as a kid calling my friends to make plans.”

There’s also something to be said for a phone you can’t take wherever you go: You can’t lose it. “My mom had a landline until probably four months ago,” says staff travel writer Tara Massouleh McCay. “To be honest, I don't like that she got rid of it because she's notoriously bad about turning her cell on silent for hours and never looking at it, so I liked being able to have another way to get in touch. No way to ‘misplace’ or turn a landline on silent!”

Landlines are also an ideal tool for teaching phone etiquette. Of course, you can (and should) teach a child to graciously answer a cell phone, but with caller ID, the phrase “May I ask who’s calling?” loses a bit of its luster. 

While I don’t have a landline in my own home, my parents still have one at theirs, and it brings me great joy. Yes, I can reach them on their cell phones anytime, anywhere; but nothing gives me the warm fuzzies quite like calling “Home.” When I talk to them on the landline, I can easily picture where they’re sitting—stretched out on the olive green sofa or tucked into a dragonfly-embroidered club chair. It makes me feel instantly closer to them, even from a few states away. And that’s why I’ll always love a landline.