An Iowa Utilities Board survey says wireless telephones now exceed landline telephone connnections in Iowa. [Click to enlarge]

In Le Mars, store managers from Verizon Wireless/Wireless World and Frontier Communications, are on opposite sides of the debate.

"The future is wireless," said Steve Harrington, Verizon manager. "People now are carrying cell phones. They all say this is their main form of communication."

Already in Iowa cell phones are beating landline telephones for usage.

According to an Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) survey, from 2005 to 2007 the number of wireless connections in Iowa increased by 23 percent while the number of landline connections decreased by nearly 6 percent.

As of June 30, 2007, the total number of retail service wireless connections in Iowa was more than 1.9 million while the total number of traditional landline connections was close to 1.5 million, according to the IUB study.

Nationally, one of the factors for the decline in landline telephone connections is attributed to customers getting rid of dial-up Internet service.

People of all ages have cell phones, but there are differences depending on which generation users fall into, Harrington said.

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"The generation under 30 years old, they relocate, the get married, they don't even bother to hook up a landline," he said. "People over 30 realize they use their cell phones more than landlines and think 'what's the use in having them.'"

Natasha Wittmaack, 22, of Le Mars, who has only a cell phone, agreed.

"I don't really know anybody my age with a landline," Wittmaack said. "It doesn't make sense to get a landline because it would just be another bill."

Besides the majority of "talking" on the phone she does is text messaging, Wittmaack said.

Harrington said for the older generation, the movement toward using cell phones is "slower" but it is happening.

"I think it's kind of a generational thing," Wittmaack agreed. "My parents just got cell phones last year, and (now) they are thinking of getting rid of their landline."

But not everyone has joined the cell phone frenzy.

Angie Erdmann, manager of the local Frontier Communications, which offers landline telephone connections among other services, said many people are keeping both lines.

"Our customers are all taking our single lines and some second lines," Erdmann said. "A lot of customers like the bundle packages with high speed Internet and dish network."

She doesn't think the landline telephone connection will ever disappear completely because eventually people will understand the value and security of having an access line in their home.

"People forget to plug (cell) phones in, batteries go dead," she said. "What are you going to do if you don't have a phone?"