27% of Wireless Users Say They Have Disconnected Landlines

More than one fourth of wireless phone customers have replaced their traditional landline connections at home and are now using wireless service exclusively to communicate on a daily basis, according to J.D. Power and Associates.

The study finds that among the 27 percent of current wireless customers who report replacing their traditional landline phone with wireless service, 61 percent have completely disconnected their home landline service. Additionally, 29 percent of wireless customers ages 18 to 24 report making this switch, compared with only 9 percent of subscribers 65 years or older. 

Customers who have used wireless longer are also more likely to switch exclusively to wireless service. In particular, customers who have used wireless service for three years or more report higher landline disconnection levels than those who have used wireless for less than 12 months (19 percent vs. 9 percent, respectively). 

“The user experience has steadily improved for wireless customers, and the number of features and applications available for cell phones has increased considerably during the past two years, so it is not unexpected to find that many wireless subscribers are choosing to replace their landline phone entirely with wireless service,” says Kirk Parsons, J.D. Power and Associates senior director. “Wireless service has truly improved to the point where quality and performance are no longer barriers in the decision-making process around switching to exclusive wireless service usage.”