College Students Turn Away From Landlines

prostoalex writes "You're as likely to find a landline in a college dorm as you're an old typewriter, according to this Washington Post article on MSNBC. While roughly 30% of college students had a cell phone 5 years ago, more than 90% have them today, resulting in student directories including out-of-state numbers instead of 4-digit extensions. More trivia on college students: 90% own a PC, 65% have broadband, 62% own a stereo system, 74% have a DVD player, 55% have a gaming system. What the Washington Post article also hints at, is possible tuition hikes due to the landlines dropped so quickly. "Six or seven years ago, telephones on campus were a cash cow," said Glenn Gaslin of Morrisville State College in New York."

Comments

That's great and all ...

[jdwest]

except when one rings during my lecture.

Never fails, despite warnings to the contrary. So I INSIST that they take the call -- right then, right there. I see a few others stealthily reaching into their backpacks to turn theirs off.

I don't have any problems ... for the rest of the semester, at least.

Re:That's great and all ...

[wintermute1000]

My math professor answered his phone during lecture once. He talked for about a minute, exchanging pleasantries, etc, then hung up and said, "I get to go to the symphony tonight!" The class was in hysterics.

I know another professor who elaborately staged an event where he made it look as though he snatched a student's phone out of her purse and stomped on it. He heard rumors about himself at other colleges in the area within a few weeks. Apparently the act of violence made a big splash.