Do people still make phone calls these days? Now that we have Facebook, WhatsApp, and countless other social networks and messaging apps, phone calls are no longer as relevant as they once were for communication. In fact, there’s a survey showing just how insignificant phone calls are to young people.

UK’s communications regulator, Ofcom, has surveyed young people of ages 16 to 24 and found that only 15 percent of respondents consider phone calls as the most important method to communicate. In comparison, 36 percent of respondents choose instant messaging as their preferred method. Make it 49 percent if you include emailing and texting.

This age group has also been observed to be spending most of their time on mobile screens, that they don’t even bother downloading ringtones anymore to customize their phones. Ringtone downloads have gone down in the UK by 20 percent in four years, from 2016 to 2020.

Related: 12 cellphones that every Filipino wanted during the early 2000s

Old-smartphones-7521

In a similar study, 80 percent of American millennials born between 1981 and 1996 prefer text and online communication over voice calls. For their preference to text over call, this age group has earned the moniker “Generation Mute”.

Apparently, one reason why young people prefer more discreet options to communicate is that it became a habit from school. As students, they would need a way to chat with friends without getting caught.

There’s also telemarketing, cold calls, and other spam calls that are putting off people from voice calls. Add to the fact that phone calls are disruptive and time-consuming, so it can be said that phone calls have become obsolete.

Do you still remember Crazy Frog, one of the most popular ringtones back in the day?

Time has definitely changed.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *