from the just-keep-paying-us dept
A new study says that half of the US households that moved in the fourth quarter of 2006
dropped their landline service. A quarter of them went wireless-only, 13% switched to cable operators, while 6% chose another type of VoIP provider. The trend away from landlines
has been visible for a while, but it's interesting to note how moving accelerates it -- making it appear that many people hang on to their landline just because they already have it, rather than because they really want or need it. For many people, landline service isn't something they want or need, and moving appears to act as a prompt to make them consider that. The stat also helps explain why telcos do so many things they do, like
hamstring VoIP providers with patent suits,
resist naked DSL, and sell bundles geared towards forcing people
to buy landline service they don't want.
