Rural telecommunication companies in south-central Idaho transition away from landlines

Residents of south-central Idaho are joining legions of consumers who no longer have a landline phone in their home, opting instead for the freedom of cellular phones and high-speed internet.

According to annual reports this month by two rural telecommunication companies in south-central Idaho, landline use is continuing a precipitous decline forcing the companies to shift more time and resources toward the adoption of new technologies.

Filer Mutual Telephone Company officials told shareholders last week that landline accounts declined 8 percent to 10 percent in 2009, while growth in internet services generated an increase in operating revenues from $5.2 million in 2008 to $5.3 million last year.

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