There were times when old wired rotary dialer phones or its hi-tech sister with push button phones were the pride of every worktable. The most advanced generation of it came loaded with caller-ID screens and even with the freedom of cordless extension handsets. But the charm of rotary dialers with its characteristic roll back sound was unmatchable.
There was a long waiting time of several months (if not the years) to get a wired line phone connection. To give you an idea, my father booked a landline phone for me when I was still in middle school as he foresaw its requirement for my business premises in case I decide to do some business when I grow up. So he was required to plan that much in advance. Some privileged people used to apply in special category with some higher payment to get it installed in shorter time frame. But whenever it was installed, it was a celebration time. The lineman too were paid some money as part of that happiness.
The phone number was shared among neighbours, who used to distribute it as their P.P. Tel. No.
Although this phone used to ring rarely; whenever it rang, its importance could not be ignored. On hearing its ring, even neighbours used to come to our home to ask the news and reasons for ringing of the phone. And if there was a late night or early morning ring, everyone in the family would get in the state of shock, even before receiving the call, expecting some bad news.
But after the advent of mobile phones, phones became ubiquitous. It’s now in every pocket and lost that special status it used to enjoy. Now it can ring at any moment and at any hour without signaling any emergency. It keeps beeping notification sounds every few seconds as if it makes some breathing sound. There isn’t any waiting time anymore. You can just walk-in to a store and walk out with a functional mobile phone instantaneously. There isn’t any novelty in possessing a phone number.
Moreover, mobile phones have gone smarter now. Even if there is a landline phone on your table, you prefer to make a call on your mobile. It’s so convenient to do it on a mobile. Landlines suffered a lot with this new culture. The business of landlines is now under a threat of going extinct. People are surrendering their landline connections in favour of mobile phones. Landline companies are facing adverse economies of scales to sustain their infrastructure.
So, who will use landlines and why?
Well, in these difficult times, I’d like to let you know that I’m a proud owner of a landline phone. Despite all the advantages of a mobile phone, landline phone has its own unique advantages. Let me list out some of them here:
Landline phone does not encounter weak network strength issues and the conversation is clearly audible with a uniform consistency every time. Clarity of voice adds to the quality of conversation by making it more natural.
Landline phone never gets discharged or low on battery. Mobile phone always run the risk of battery drainage esp. in the times of over usage. But landline is highly reliable. I remember when my brother got engaged, he was talking with his fiancée all night over the landline without any risk of low battery or power outage.
Landlines can never be switched off and they are always ON. Mobile phones can be switched off at any time at its owner’s whims and the caller keeps trying that number again and again in an effort to get connected as soon as the mobile is switched back to on. Landlines are more reliable in that regard and can be reached anytime round the clock.
No risk of potentially threatening mobile irradiations. Landlines don’t emit any radiations. Many people want to switch off their mobile phones when they are asleep at night to safeguard themselves from mobile radiations during that time at least. But they don’t want to miss on any emergency call during the night. So they sleep with their mobiles switched on, under their pillow. But in the presence of landline, I can safely turn off my mobile phones during nights without the fear of missing an emergency call.
Unlike mobile phones, we can never loss or misplace our landlines. We also don’t need to locate its location when it starts ringing. We know where our landline is …it has its organized place where we habitually go to receive the call on hearing it ringing. No confusions here!
If you use the old landline phone instruments, you inculcate the habit of dialing a number with your own fingers. This helps your fingers in memorizing many frequently called numbers. Yes, your brain may forget but your fingers will remember those numbers and can dial it for you. Mobile phones’ memory have damaged our ability to remember even important numbers. When we accidentally misplace our mobile phone, we couldn’t even recollect our frequently called phone numbers if we need to dial them from someone else’s phone.
Landline phone numbers are shorter than mobile numbers. So many of your acquaintances can easily remember your landline number instead of remembering your mobile number. It also takes lesser time to dial in case of emergency.
The caller can speak to whole family (if the landline is at your home). Landline is not regarded as personal as your mobile. So anyone can receive the call and take the message in your absence too. With mobile, I’ve noticed that no one attends your mobile in your absence and it’s left ringing. But landlines will always be attended by whoever is available near to it.
On landlines, you tend to speak truth. For instance, you can’t say to the caller that I’m not at my home currently (because you are talking from a landline that is installed at your home). So when you become more truthful, your credibility and reputation increases.
When speaking on landlines, we are not generally multi-tasking. On mobile, you may be driving, cooking or even peeing while talking to a caller. But when you are conversing on a landline, caller can expect your full attention to him / her. You look more devoted and committed.
So I still love to stick with the old fashioned landline phone.
- Can you tell me some more advantages of a landline phone over mobile?