Facts and Figures

[andrewducker]

Interesting to note that more people have a mobile for personal use (95%) than a landline (78%).

40% of people use VOIP/Skype.

And mobile use is now the norm (66% -> 28%)

If the trend continues then landlines will exist in the UK only because BT insist you have a phoneline if you have ADSL.  And even then it looks very much like they'll only be "phone lines" up to the exchange - and it's all digital from that point onwards.

Comments

[davidcook.livejournal.com]

If the trend continues then landlines will exist in the UK only because BT insist you have a phoneline if you have ADSL

Interesting ... over here, it's possible to get "Naked DSL" (not as exciting as it sounds!), which simply means you get your zoomy Internet connection and don't have to pay for a landline.
Wonder if BT will ever wake up to the idea ?

[andrewducker]

I suspect only if forced into it. They rather like the monopoly and extra revenue, I suspect...

[a-pawson.livejournal.com]

You can rent the line from companies other than BT, but as far as I know they all give you a telephone service too.

ADSL is essentially a new service tacked onto an existing distribution system, one originally designed to distribute telephone calls. We still need a physical wire coming into our house to get ADSL. The costs of providing a telephone service must be tiny compared to the cost of installing that wire and maintaining the infrastructure.

I doubt we would see much saving were the service offered limited to internet access only.

[andrewducker]

Oh, we probably wouldn't save a huge amount - but it might make them a bit clearer about their charging structure. £6 for a connection of any kind and then services layered on top of that (for instance). And even if the cost of providing a phone service is only a couple of quid a month that's still a saving.