New data suggests that almost 85,000 households in Cambridgeshire are estimated to be paying for a landline they don’t use, with 27 per cent of local billpayers saying they haven’t used their landline in the last month.

The study, conducted by broadband provider, Trooli, found that billpayers who pay for their landline as part of a bundle with other services, like broadband, are even less likely to use their home phone than the average Brit.

The figures add that, with landline and broadband bundles costing 10.8% more than broadband-only subscriptions on average, it’s estimated that UK billpayers are wasting a staggering total of £276 million a year on additional services they simply don’t need.

Whilst the number of landline connections in the UK is decreasing - particularly amongst younger households - the research found that just over a third of billpayers across the country (35%) still pay for a connection.

Andy Conibere, CEO of Trooli, comments: “Families across Cambridgeshire will be under more financial pressure than ever this winter. With rising energy bills and the upcoming festive season, we expect to see billpayers looking to make cuts on non-essential costs.

“Our research into landlines has been eye-opening, demonstrating not only the significant drop in usage, but also how many Cambridgeshire residents stand to save money every month by simply cutting ties with their landline connections and only paying for the services they truly need.”

The research also offers insight into the decline in landline usage amongst younger generations. Less than one in five 18-34-year-olds now pay for a home phone. Meanwhile, over 65s are the most likely to rely on a landline, with 54% still paying for a connection."

The survey was conducted amongst 2,000 UK consumers in September 2024, and utilised population data based on Government UK census information from 2021.