One constant in life is Change—this is one thing we all can agree on. And this applies to our personal lives just as much as it does to the telecommunications industry. Have you ever sat back and imagined that there was a time when payphones were the next big thing in the field of telecommunication? But today, the only place they are used is in airports and train/bus stations. Their obsolescence was masterminded by the invention of the mobile phone. Many households and business will argue that this is also the case with VoIP and Landlines.
See for yourself!
The Fall of Landlines
For many, landlines are increasingly becoming a thing of the past. A study carried out by the National Centre for Health Statistics revealed a significant drop in landline usage in the U.S. over the past 12 years with more than 54% of households relying solely on mobile phones for communication, as opposed to just 16% in 2006. Companies like AT&T already have plans in motion to phase out landline use by 2020, with other companies expected to follow their example. In 2018, the number of business that used landline phones had fallen to 6.4 million from over 10 million in 2010. Total landline call minutes keep falling while mobile call minutes and average monthly mobile usage continue to increase almost exponentially.
All these statistics simply reiterate the fact that landlines might indeed be a thing of the past. The question you might probably be asking right now is why. Why are landline technologies increasingly becoming obsolete?
Let’s try to answer this question!
Why Landlines are Becoming Obsolete
Once upon a time, people had to write phone numbers down in phonebooks or memorize them. But with the invention of the mobile phone, storage of phone numbers was made easier as these could be simply stored onto the phone’s memory. This can be used to explain the issue of landline obsolescence.
The evolution of the internet and various technologies have had a huge impact on the telecommunications industry. These have led to significant changes in the way people use phone numbers and phones in general. An increasing number of people find it easier and less costly to make calls over the internet as opposed to traditional landlines. VoIP has significantly reduced the cost of calls as most calls between VoIP numbers are somewhat lower or, in some case, free—the only cost incurred is the cost of data which has greatly reduced in recent years and is expected to reduce even further.
In addition, the flexibility and scalability of VoIP systems make them a perfect choice for most businesses—small, medium or large. Landlines are great for the basic function of sending and receiving calls, but businesses require more than just calls from their telecom systems. Globalization has caused more businesses to opt for phone systems that make it possible for employees and colleagues to work and interact with one another and with clients from virtually any place on earth. They also require systems that will allow them employees to direct calls to a secondary or alternate devices if the primary device is unavailable. They require a system that allows them to change their address without having to change their company phone number. The flexibility, adaptability and multi-functionality of VoIP makes it the perfect solution to all these issues and concerns.
The Way Forward
What business in today’s global economy would opt for a traditional landline system in the place of a VoIP system? VoIP systems check all the boxes that landline systems cannot. So, the answer to why landline technologies are increasingly becoming obsolete is simple; VoIP systems. Any business looking to grow or compete in today’s market must consider getting a VoIP Phone system—they are the future of the telecommunications industry.