The Friday File: As recently as 2004, 90% of US households had a landline phone. By 2008 it was 80%, by late 2010 it was 70%, and by mid-2013 it was 60%. In mid-2015, landlines were in just 50% of households, and by late 2018 the percentage was down to 40%. By the end of 2021 it was 30%. At this rate, by 2030 there will be no landlines left.