Has The Cellphone Replaced The Home Phone As The Primary Contact Number?

I've noticed that over the past two years, more and more telephone calls first go to my cellphone before my home or office phone. Whenever you fill out customer or patient questioneers, they ask for your home or primary number followed by the cellphone. That's fine with me, but I would expect official correspondence be first routed to my designated primary number. Worse yet, they don't bother to try the primary after calling the cell phone or reaching the voice mail. I don't live by my cell phone like many of the younger folks. I carry it with me, but not always on me, so I usually open it to find a missed call or voice mail that's stacked up. More often then not, I'm told.."we tried reaching you but there was no answer". Asking them what number they called will get the cell number. If you query why they called it and not the number designated primary, the excuse ranges from that's the number that is automatically dialed from their contact list to that's the number that you gave them to contact you. Understood that many younger folks are foregoing home phones all together now and just having a cell phone or that some people tend to think that everyone carries thier cell phone with them all the time, so the highest probability reaching you is to call you on the cell.
 
 Maybe it's me, but I don't like to be available 24/7 or on demand. That's why I let my answering machine pick up and set my ring tones appropriately to my core contacts of home,office,and immediate family, so when the phone really rings it's necessary to answer. I suppose is vouge these days to be constantly in touch with texting, tweeting, and social networking, letting everyone know who, what and where you're doing and have immediate access to you.

We just have cell phones now but I leave mine on vibrate so it never rings...if I want to talk to the caller I answer...if not I just let it vibrate and if they want me they will leave a message or call back.

I still have a landline , and prefer to use it rather than the cell. I think it is an expense that I don't need to maintain...but I really am more comfortable using a full-size phone rather than the flip-top mini-phone I have for cell service.  Somewhere down the line I will finally give in and dump the connection with the past (pun-intended).

I only use my cell phone, but that doesn't mean you can call me 24/7 and talk to me.  It has an off switch, and I use it.

I don't have a house phone anymore, and DawnT I am experiencing the same issues with my office phone.
 
It's for business purposes only, I am not allowed to receive personal calls. I'm not sure how people are getting this number, but if I don't know who it is, I won't call them back. Sometimes I Google the phone number, but it would be nice to know who is giving the number out so I can ask them to please stop. A few of my doctor's offices have the number for whatever reason (appt changes, rx issues, etc) but that doesn't give them carte blanche to sell or give the number out.

We still have a land line,although I dont know why as it rarely rings, and its local service only. I do not carry my cell phone with me all the time; I feel if I am at a party or out shopping, I am BUSY, and if someone wants to talk to me, they can leave a messege and I will call them back when I have some down time. And I no longer give out my work number( except to my husband) I am able to check my messeges often, so if a Doctor or whomever calls, I can respond in a timely fashion. I guess I am getting old and set in my ways!

Land line here.   My cell phone never seems to be charged when I need it.
 
I have unlimited calls on the landline which I don't use.
 
I'm thinking that under the right circumstances I could talk on the phone for hours at a time.  
 
I hear that the landline is healthier.

I haven't had a home phone for something around five years.  I don't get a lot of calls either at work or on my cell, so giving my number out doesn't seem to be a huge problem.

I killed my landline sometime ago.  My mobile is the only phone I use.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Certainly businesses are going to try to contact you by cellphone because there is a higher probability they will reach you. Its called the march of time. It is an issue for people who do not have an unlimited calling plan, which currently is $50/month and up, depending upon carrier.  People with limited plans should just not answer such calls.
 
I first used a cell phone at my job in 1985, when hand held units cost $3000 each. I do not feel any pressure to answer my cellphone when I am out in public, and have told people who call me at home to call me back at my landine number because I live in a cellphone "dead spot" and they keep cutting in-and-out. Actually they upgraded coverage in my area some time ago.
 
The only reason for still keeping a landline is for reliability, (especially if you live close to a telephone company office and have nothing but copper wire between you), clarity, and the easier-to-use handset and keypad.
 

I still like the landline. I have a cell phone, but I don't even know the number! I use it rarely, for outgoing message.
I don't like that a cell phone requires "care." The need to recharge, and remember to do so with so much else to do. I also find it "complicated" - too many options and choices I get confused. 
 
I also find people act weird/rude/selfish with cell phones. They make cancellations,etc. too easy, spur of the moment decisions.
For example, it's nothing to be "running late" and drop a call to say i. When you had to go to more trouble to find a land line, I think people tried to be on time. Everytime you are "running late" (meaning choosing to take more time at what you're doing than to get to me) you are taking up my time, too.
 
On the other hand, I have about 5 computers at home (a new Mac, an older Mac, an IPad, my daughter's Mac, and older PC. I also have an iTouch and 2 ipods) and am totally into using them. Somehow I don't find computers that complicated.

Haven't yet found a compelling reason to buy a cell phone.

Haven't yet found a compelling reason to buy a cell phone.

The only reason that I found to buy one was to be able to contact the police or the auto club in case of a roadside emergency, otherwise I'd have no interest in owning one. Mine stays in the glove compartment 99% of the time.

In San Francisco I've got ATT U-Verse phone/TV/internet service.  That has a "find me" feature that causes any other phone numbers you designate to ring when the U-Verse number is called.  So I have it set up that both my cell phone and my number in Arizona ring if somebody calls my SF home number.  And that's the only number I give to many people and businesses.  That way they don't have the option of just calling the cellphone, which, when I'm home (and sometimes if I leave home and forget it), is often just sitting in its charger in my bedroom where I might not hear it ring even if I'm home.

Another one here of the Old School. The land line is the primary contact for PP and I. Although we don't use it to make long distance calls. We only give out out our cell #s to close friends and family.

MilwFoodlovers


Haven't yet found a compelling reason to buy a cell phone.

 
It's hard to know what you might consider "compelling" but for me there are so many reasons to own a cellphone it's very hard to remember even most of them:
 
- The biggest reason for me may be that it eliminates the need to sit at home waiting for an important call.  I just use the "find me" feature described above (or basic "call forwarding" to the cellphone) and go about my business.
 
- It's essential when I travel, for things like letting people expecting me know if I'm going to be on time to occasionally canceling reservations if I'm not.
 
- Mine is a "smart" phone (iPhone).  Here's one scenario:  One day I was headed to New York on AMTRAK.  I was reading the New York Times online (on the phone).  I read about a play I wanted to see in the entertainment section.  Tickets were expected to go quickly.  I used the phone immediately to log onto a ticketing service and got a ticket.   Works for restaurant reservations using Open Table too.
 
-Again, because it's "smart", I probably use it for web surfing more than for phone calls but for both it is liberating--I can do any communicating away from home that I can do at home.
 
 

People have become addicted to their cell phones. I lost mine and haven't replaced it. Don't miss it either.

David_NYC


The only reason for still keeping a landline is for reliability, (especially if you live close to a telephone company office and have nothing but copper wire between you), clarity, and the easier-to-use handset and keypad.

 
I can't get cable TV at my house and I don't feel like paying the $$$ for a satellite, so I use my land line for dialup ISP access.  Which wouldn't be so bad if I could get DSL service...but I can't.
 
And since it's there I use it for phone calls, too.
 
Brad

Dawn,
I agree.   Next I don't give out my cell phone number and it does not take voice or text messages.    ... But I see why so many people have drop their land-lines and only use a cell phone.  ... In my area It's $100/mn cheaper.