Now we call it the landline, to differentiate it from the real phone, the one we carry at all times, the one that allows us to call and be called no matter where we are.
Landlines are disappearing, as more people realize that a mobile phone is the only phone they need. Younger people, many of whom can't remember a time without mobile phones, don't even consider landlines.
I haven't dropped my landline yet, but the day is coming. Still, I was a bit surprised when my mother, now in her late eighties, decided to give up her landline and go mobile-only.
