This is How Many Idahoans Have Dropped Landline Telephones

I don’t have exact numbers, but the Washington Post (you may find a paywall) has a series of maps that show how many people have ditched old-fashioned landlines and rely only on cell phones.  The bluest states on the map have the fewest landlines.  Idaho and Wyoming appear the bluest.  States with the oldest-fashioned telephones are in the northeast.  As a percentage, older Americans cling to the older system.

Research also shows that people who maintain a landline are doing better when it comes to income.  They also have fewer troubles when it comes to the use of alcohol and tobacco!  Maybe they can’t afford a drink if they’re paying for two phones.

Even with our dead zones when it comes to cellular coverage (and trust me, north of McCall I can never get service) the people of southern Idaho have especially adopted the new technology.  Landlines are still common in the central highlands where the cell service is spotty.  A county-by-county map shows the reliance on the technology.

I have a theory as to why the cell phone became the only means of communication for so many people in Idaho and Wyoming.  People often do most of their work from behind a wheel.  While ranching, farming, or driving a truck.

I gave up my landline a dozen years ago.  I was pleased with my service, which was through FIOS, but why pay two bills every month when you can only talk on one phone at a time?