A recent study conducted by market research firm Insight Research (www.insight-corp.com) revealed that the future of the traditional landline phone is in dire straits. Once present in the majority of households and businesses, cellular and Internet technologies are replacing landlines.

The company’s research points to a new generation of phones that combine technologies such as Wi-Fi, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), and wireless LANs (local-area networks) that can work at home, in the office, or on the road.

To help identify trends and scenarios, Insight Research identified four adoption methods for consumers and businesses:

• The substitution of cellular usage for landline usage
• The use of a dual-mode handset for VoIP on a wireless LAN inside the home or office, combined with cellular service for other locations
• The integration of DSL or cable modem service with VoIP on wireless networks in the home, with cellular service outside the home
• A fixed-cellular technology that uses special equipment to emulate a fixed phone using cellular technology

“The dynamic is unmistakable: Fixed lines for phones have been declining at a 3% rate for the last several years, while the number ofAmericans opting for cell phone calling keeps increasing,” says Insight president Robert Rosenberg in a press release.