Pick up the phone! National Landline Day is calling, and it wants to know what you got for number 10 on the math homework. Remember when you were forced to leave your phone at home—because it was attached to your house? Or when your crush called, but your older brother got to the phone first and revealed your secret? Or when you knew you hit true best friend status—memorizing their number? Celebrated on the anniversary of Alexander Graham Bell’s amazing invention, National Landline Telephone Day on March 10 remembers the heyday of the landline phone in all its glory—and makes a strong case for its re-adoption.
National Landline Telephone Day timeline
Another inventor, Elisha Grey, actually filed a patent for the telephone within hours of Alexander Graham Bell, but Bell's patent was approved first.
Bell, located in New York calls Thomas Watson in San Francisco, probably to argue about who was paying cheaper rent (history cannot confirm).
Marty Cooper, a Motorola employee, called an AT&T employee to brag about the achievement—and almost got hit by a cab.
The Motorola DynaTAC heralded itself as the "beginning of the cellular revolution.
National Landline Telephone Day Activities
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See how many numbers you can remember
911 doesn't count. I bet you remember your childhood home phone number—what about best friends, or even your crush?
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Call someone who still has a landline
And tell them congratulations for celebrating National Landline Telephone Day all year round. It will most likely be a grandparent or an older relative, in which case, you should call them anyway to say hi!
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Throw your cell phone in water
Ok, you don't have to be that extreme, but try to decrease the amount of phone time that isn't absolutely necessary. You'll be surprised how entertaining life can be without it.
Top Phone Songs Stuck In Our Heads
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Call Me Maybe" — Carly Rae Jepsen
Hey, I just met you and this is crazy/ But here's my number, so call me maybe
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I Just Called to Say I Love You" — Stevie Wonder
I just called to say how much I care
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Payphone" — Maroon 5
I'm at a payphone trying to call home/ All of my change I spent on you
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8675309" — Tommy Tutone
867-5309/ 867-5309/ 867-5309/ 867-5309
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Say My Name" — Destiny's Child
Any other day/ I would call and you would say/ Baby how's your day/ But today, it ain't the same
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Hotline Bling" — Drake
You used to call me on my cell phone/ Late night when you need my love
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Telephone" — Lady Gaga
Can call all you want,/ But there's no one home,/ And you're not gonna reach my telephone!
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Call Me"—Blondie
Call me (call me) on the line/ Call me, call me, any, anytime
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Ring, Ring" — Abba
Ring, ring, why don't you give me a call?/ Ring, ring, the happiest sound of them all
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Telephone Line" — Electric Light Orchestra
Oh, oh, telephone line, give me some time, I'm living in twilight
Why We Love National Landline Telephone Day
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It harkens back to a simpler time
Before cell phones, we couldn't communicate with each other all the time, and that's arguably a good thing. It forced us to be more attentive in our interactions and to the world around us—there's no texting and driving accidents without cell phones.
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Old technology has its charm
Sure, the iPhone 10x has Animojis, but remember when caller ID was invented (and ruined prank calling forever)? And we'll never forget the dial-up noise—or the fights that ensued when one of your siblings wanted to use the Internet when you were talking on the phone.
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It kept families connected
When you called your cousin's house, you had no idea who was going to pick up. The phone gets passed amongst family members, and you might end up catching up with your aunt and uncle for 30 minutes before finally remembering why you called. Staying in touch with family—especially when it's unexpected—is always a delight.
National Landline Telephone Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | March 10 | Friday |
| 2024 | March 10 | Sunday |
| 2025 | March 10 | Monday |
| 2026 | March 10 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | March 10 | Wednesday |
