From InternetNews:
Landline telephones may soon need a lifeline as more people cut the cord in favor of Voice over IP (VoIP) and wireless phone alternatives.
VoIP subscribers in the U.S. are expected to hit the 32.6 million mark by 2010, which means that roughly 40 percent of all broadband households in the country will be using VoIP systems from Vonage, AT&T and others in the field.
This compares with about 5.2 million VoIP subscribers with an expected 9.6 million by the end of this year, according to a report just released by eMarketer.
Sitting in the line of fire is the $190 billion fixed-line telephony industry, which is expected to lose users and revenues as cable companies, ISPs and others take a piece of the pie.