The information technology, so often perceived to be scourge for the elderly who prefer saunter life-style, is moving so fast, at breath-taking speed that it is difficult if not impossible for Senior Citizens to keep abreast and in touch with changes in order to use computers, iPads and mobile phones which is a child’s play for younger generation.
One victim of iPhone craze could be “Land Lines” as their usage has halved in just six years, the time we spend talking has fallen from 103 billion minutes to just 54 billion minutes, as youngsters are less interested in talking person to person and more in sending texts, email and webchat, especially when dealing with firms, buying online.
The usage of mobile phones, especially since the introduction of iPhone has surged ten-fold, as most users hate paying land-line charges that very from £15 to £25 per month which is considered by many to be unfair, unnecessary and avoidable.
But most septuagenarians prefer landline chats, especially those who may have age related decline in hearing and they feel land-line to be clearer, easy to use and affordable if one picks special deal offered from time to time, that includes free phone calls within Britain and so often it may include international calls as well. But then who can put a price-tag when it comes to self-preservation! But our concern for land-line goes beyond arcane world of information technology. Land-lines may be safe, at least for the time being, as we need it for broadband, a must for every home, as computers are as common as TV that dominates our lives. But who can guarantee that one day we may not need land-line for broad band connections that could signal the demise of land-line, just like Fax machines, once a must for business but now a relic of the past no one misses!
Kumudini Valambia
By email
