Landlines are dying out. But to some, they're a lifeline.

[Straw Man]

12. I had my last landline in the early 2000s.

I lived in an area with poor cell reception and frequent lengthy power and cable outages. Although I had a cell phone and a VOIP service, a landline was a necessity for emergencies, IMO.

I managed to finagle a Verizon rep to the find me the cheapest, most basic service available. It turns out that there was a $19.99 per month plan that charged 10¢ per minute for all outgoing calls, plus fees for long distance. The rep was even surprised at its existence. She also advised that if I ever cancelled the plan, they would mostly come out and pull out the copper lines, since they were trying as hard as they could to phase out landline service.

I moved out of there in 2015. I wonder if they ever came and pulled out those wires.