Landlines Set to End in UK

As the UK prepares to switch off traditional landline services, a new study suggests that old telephone numbers remain deeply etched in the memories of millions of Britons, long after mobile phones have taken over everyday communication.

The research, commissioned by Talkmobile and conducted among 2,000 adults across the country, found that 57 percent of respondents can still recall the landline number from their childhood home, along with numbers belonging to relatives and school friends.

The sense of nostalgia is strongest among Generation X, aged between 45 and 59, with 68 percent of respondents in this age group able to remember at least one old landline number. 

The findings highlight the emotional attachment many people still have to numbers that once played a central role in family life.

According to the survey, one in five Gen X respondents can recall between three and five landline numbers from memory, while millennials follow closely at 18 percent.

In contrast, landlines appear far less relevant to younger generations, with just 8 percent of Generation Z saying they never had a landline phone while growing up.

Despite the shift toward mobile communication, landlines have not disappeared entirely. Around 47 percent of UK households still maintain a landline connection, with usage highest among baby boomers, 64 percent of whom keep an active line. Among millennials, that figure drops sharply to 27 percent. 

The study also revealed that while 55 percent of Britons have abandoned the traditional paper phone directory, one quarter of older adults continue to use it regularly.

The findings come as the UK moves closer to completing its transition from the aging Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to internet-based digital phone systems. Officials say the change will bring clearer call quality, more competitive pricing, and improved security against scam calls.

Commenting on the results, Talkmobile spokesperson Stuart Wilson said landline numbers remain part of Britain’s collective memory, representing more than just a way to make calls. “They are emotional links to the past and to the people who shaped our lives,” he said.