Study: By next year, 1 in 5 U.S. households will be wireless-only

Cords are becoming an endangered across America. More than 20 million U.S. households have ditched their landline phones and rely solely on wireless handsets for home telecommunications, according to a new report by The Nielsen Company.
The study also predicts one in five U.S. households will be wireless-only by the end of this year. Cutting the landline bill – at an average of $40 a month – is a quick way to save money each month, especially during tough economical times. The report found that most cord cutters have lower-level annual incomes (59% have household incomes of $40,000 or less), are typically small households (1 or 2 residents), or are moving or changing jobs.
“As wireless network quality improves and unlimited calling becomes increasingly pervasive, we expect the trend toward wireless substitution to continue,” said Alison LeBreton, VP of client services for Nielsen Mobile. “In a tightening economy every dollar counts, and consumers are more and more comfortable with the idea of ditching their landline connection.”
This solution doesn’t work for everyone, however. According to the study, dubbed “Call My Cell: Wireless Substitution in the United States,” 10% of landline phone customers substituted their landline for a wireless-only situation – and then returned to landline service.