As the mobile phone industry moves from strength to strength we will soon be arriving at a point where landlines are not really required, but is that really the case? Should we be getting rid of our landlines and using mobiles around the home?

On the face of it there seems to be a very strong argument for ditching the landline and using a mobile phone around the home ? they are generally cheaper, offer you the chance to chat on the move with no restrictions, and can give you access to the worldwide web at the touch of a button. So what is the problem?

One of the main problems is competition and the fact that because the landline companies, such as BT, are still going strong they will always keep the mobile phone companies on their toes. If ever the landline companies were to fail then we would be depending upon the mobile phone industry for all of our future phone calls and internet access. History has shown that were a small number of companies hold control over any particular market, the opportunities for ?price fixing? are at their greatest. The landline network has been around for decades and while there is still much work to be done, the quality of the services they provide has improved of late.

Also, let us not forget about the potential health hazards associated with using your mobile phone for prolonged periods. In line with the great smoking debate which raged on for decades, the majority of us probably recognise that there are health risks associated with extensive mobile phone use, but most of us are prepared to take the risk. So what would happen if a report came out after the death of landlines and it confirmed our worst fears, what would the consumer do then?