Consumers and the IP Transition: Communications patterns in the midst of technological change

Americans today have a range of communications services with a variety of features that let them stay in touch with others, access information, and share their ideas and creativity with the world. Many people embrace the new, some do not, and a lot of some of both. Even “tech shy” people will send a text on a smartphone and stream video, while even the most ardent technophile might sometimes watch broadcast TV over the air after getting off a call on a landline phone. New technologies and services alter people’s communications habits, but they do not upend them completely. And they do not necessarily change the values -- universal service, reliability, and connection quality -- that people and society bring to the networks that enable communication.

This report explores how people use telephone services in today’s communications market and their views on the values that accompany something that is deeply embedded in our society’s fabric.

Here are the main findings:

1. Landline phones still have a strong foothold in online Americans’ phone calling patterns
2. Online Americans see the telephone as an anchor for household communications services and most believe that telephone service should support features such as emergency services, interconnection, and location-based services.