The way we communicate has evolved dramatically over the years. While many older generations grew up taking turns on the family landline, today’s digital natives are more accustomed to texting, social media, and video calls. But as call anxiety rises* and traditional phone etiquette declines, some parents are reconsidering the role of landlines in their homes.
With many families choosing to delay the introduction of smartphones for their children, parents are turning to landlines as a way to introduce kids to communication in a more guided, family-friendly way—helping them build confidence in speaking on the phone and have some independence in how they stay connected to friends and family.
For those considering a landline, here are some key benefits:
1. Builds Confidence and Communication Skills
Having a landline encourages kids to practice talking on the phone, helping them develop verbal communication skills and confidence when speaking with others. With many young people now admitting to experiencing call anxiety*, using a landline can help them overcome their hesitation to speak over the phone.
2. Promotes Emergency Preparedness
In an era where so much information is stored on smartphones, memorising key phone numbers has become a lost skill. According to research by YouGov, over one in seven (15%) Aussies—equivalent to more than 3 million people—admit that, aside from Triple Zero and their own number, they can’t recall any phone numbers from memory^. A landline ensures that children can learn essential contacts, empowering them to act confidently in an emergency—without relying on a mobile device.
3. Encourages Family Connection
With a landline, calls are typically answered in a shared space, making conversations more transparent and fostering open communication between family members. It can also create a sense of nostalgia, bringing back the communal experience of gathering around the phone for a chat. It’s also an easy way for younger children to stay connected with grandparents and other members of their wider family.
4. Fosters Independence and Social Bonds
Introducing a landline to the family’s household gives children the opportunity to connect with peers outside of school and other structured activities and gives them some autonomy over their communication prior to the introduction of a smartphone.
Many of us have our own memories of using landlines. I grew up with three older brothers and I distinctly remember the glee in my brother’s voice when girls first started calling the house and he would announce the callers to the whole household at the top of his voice.
While mobile phones are a critical part of our communication landscape, landlines also offer a reliable and high-quality voice communication. For families looking to introduce their children to responsible phone use while fostering important life skills, the humble landline might just be making a well-deserved comeback.
This National Landline Telephone Day, consider whether a home phone could be a valuable addition to your family. It’s not just a nostalgic object—it’s a tool for building confidence and real-world communication skills for the next generation.
Telstra has a proud history of providing landlines to Australians in every part of the country. We have used a wide range of technologies to deliver landline services - from copper lines, NBN fibre to 4G-based connections and the latest LEO satellite solutions from Starlink. We are continuing to innovate how to deliver this essential service in the most reliable and effective way to Australians wherever the live or work.
Find out more about Telstra’s landline range and home phone packages here. All Telstra’s NBN home internet plans include a landline number and unlimited local, national, Australian mobile and 13-number calls.
Having a landline home phone was a staple for every Aussie household growing up in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s. From carefully saving a select few numbers to the favourites, to recording the perfect family voicemail message, the memories of that familiar ringing live rent-free in our minds. The landline served as an unintentional teacher, helping kids master the art of phone communication. It even served as a sprint coach, prompting sibling races to answer its shrill ring. See some iconic landline memories below:
1. Anonymity
Owning a landline made you a bit of a gatekeeper. With most phones only allowing you to save 10 favourite contacts, every number had to earn its place. The rest? Either committed to memory, scribbled on the fridge, logged in an address book or retrieved via the sacred class contact list. If you were calling a friend, you had to brace yourself—because there was a 50/50 chance you’d have to talk to their mum first.
2. Encouraging Kids to Build Phone Confidence (or Pure Panic)
Having a landline meant you never knew who was calling (unless they were saved in your favourites list) or who would pick up. Answering was a gamble—would it be Grandma, Dad’s boss, or a telemarketer asking if your parents were home? There was no caller ID safety net, just pure, unfiltered suspense. This built kids’ confidence, social skills, and the ability to quickly decide between saying hello or just hanging up out of sheer panic.
3. Training the Nation’s Sprint Team
Few things trained Aussie kids for elite athletic greatness like the sound of the landline ringing. It was a sibling battleground—who could get there first? Who would own the right to answer? The piercing ring was the starting pistol, and the finish line was snatching the receiver before the answering machine kicked in. These high-stakes dashes were undoubtedly the foundation of Australia’s future track stars.
4. When Landlines Didn’t Like to Share the Spotlight
Ah, the golden era of dial-up internet, when trying to browse the web and use the phone at the same time was simply not an option. If someone was on a call, your MSN Messenger session was toast. If you were online, good luck trying to make a call. The struggle was real, and it made us stronger (and infinitely more patient).
5. You’ve Reached the [Insert Family Name] Residence, Please Leave a Message!
Recording the family voicemail was an event. It was a Cheaper by the Dozen-style circus, with everyone trying (and failing) to say their names in unison. There was always one sibling who laughed or messed it up, leading to take after take. And the worst part? Hearing your own voice played back—pure horror.
*YouGov, commissioned by CommBank and More, "Gen Z and Staying Connected," May 2023. Survey conducted online with a nationally representative sample of 1,025 Australians aged 18-26. ^This study was conducted online between 22 – 26 February 2024. The sample comprised 1,080 Australians 18+. The findings have been weighted by gender, age and location, and the sample is representative of the Australian population 18+ years
