Understanding the Decline of Phone Calls

Reflecting on the Shifting Nature of Our Communication Tools and How to Use Them Meaningfully

I was recently interviewed for The Guardian about the changing nature of communication—specifically, why younger people are moving away from phone calls in favor of texting and other asynchronous methods. As I noted in the article, “The reality is we’ve made better ways of communicating than having live telephone conversations.” But does that mean real-time conversation is disappearing? Not exactly. While my contribution was condensed into a few quotes, the full interview with journalist Kate McCusker was a much longer, in-depth discussion.

We now have a vast range of communication tools at our fingertips, allowing us to connect in ways that suit different contexts. Messaging apps, video calls, and collaborative platforms provide flexibility that traditional phone calls often lack. They help us manage availability, coordinate across time zones, and engage at our own pace—advantages that weren’t possible in the landline era. Yet, with more options than ever, our communication habits have also become more fragmented.

After the interview, I decided to expand on these ideas and write them up in greater detail. A longer version of this work is expected to appear in ACM Interactions in the coming month, where I’ll explore the evolving digital landscape and the impact of communication tools and social media platforms in more depth.

How Technology Shapes the Way We Connect

Communication has always been shaped by the tools available to us. From face-to-face conversations to the rise of the telephone and mobile devices, each innovation has dramatically reshaped how we connect. As we've advanced with each new technology, we’ve adapted—but adaptation doesn’t mean replacement. Real-time conversation hasn’t vanished; it has simply evolved. One truth, however, remains constant: people are inherently social and always find ways to connect.

Walk with Me

One of the oldest and simplest forms of communication is walking and talking. Whether in pairs or small groups, walking fosters intimate, focused conversations. The rhythm of movement mirrors the natural flow of dialogue, with participants taking turns sharing stories and observations. Unlike messages exchanged through screens, walking conversations engage both body and mind. Yet, as our social circles expand across cities and countries, physical co-location becomes increasingly challenging. With the advent of communication tools, the need to adapt to new ways of connecting emerged—first through the telephone, and now through smartphones that create the perception of being always available, offering almost limitless options.

Call Me

The telephone revolutionized communication by enabling real-time conversations across vast distances. But it also introduced new challenges: when and how should it be used? Early phones lacked an off switch, reinforcing the idea that when a phone rings, you must answer. This unspoken rule shaped communication patterns for decades.

However, with the rise of mobile phones, this immediacy was often replaced with options to screen calls or manage availability, ushering in the era of asynchronous communication. With the arrival of voicemail and answering machines, and later text messages, people could respond on their own terms, making the constant need for real-time connection feel less necessary. Today, many prefer texting or messaging apps over picking up the phone. The pressure to respond immediately has been reduced, allowing us more control over when and how we communicate.

Always-On, Yet Harder to Reach

Despite being constantly available, mobile phones have created a paradox: it’s often harder than ever to reach someone for a meaningful conversation. When are they actually free? Are they in a meeting? Working to a deadline? Taking care of family? Unwinding after a long day? Out on a bike ride? The expectation of being reachable at all times conflicts with the reality of fragmented schedules and competing priorities.

This tension makes it difficult to focus on any one thing, with persistent thoughts about what comes next. Gloria Mark explores these challenges in Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness, and Productivity, highlighting how frequent task-switching erodes focus. Modern communication tools, designed for convenience, often overwhelm us—encouraging reactive engagement rather than intentional connection.

Our research shows that urgency cues in digital communication push users to prioritize immediate responses, often at the expense of more important but less time-sensitive messages (Cox, Bird, Brumby, Cecchinato, & Gould, 2020). This reactive decision-making contributes to stress, burnout, and an always-on mentality. At the same time, overly optimistic scheduling and vague plans frequently lead to mismatches between expectations and reality (Ahmetoglu, Brumby, & Cox, 2021). Just as we need strategies to focus at work, we must also rethink how we communicate—ensuring technology serves us rather than dictates the pace of our interactions.

Reclaiming Moments for Intentional Communication

Despite the rise of asynchronous communication, real-time conversations still hold immense value. The key is balance—creating space for both, so they complement rather than compete. While phone calls may have declined, that doesn’t mean live conversation has disappeared. As a parent of teenagers, I see it thriving—just in different forms. When real-time coordination matters, young people have no trouble jumping into voice chats, whether they’re gaming together online, planning meetups, or working on group projects. The preference isn’t for avoiding conversation, but for integrating it seamlessly into their interactions.

We now have more ways to communicate than ever before, an abundance that is both empowering and overwhelming. The challenge isn’t just choosing the right tool—it’s understanding the trade-offs. A phone call fosters real-time dialogue and deeper connection but demands full attention, which can sometimes feel intrusive or inconvenient. Texting offers convenience but lacks the nuance of tone and intent, increasing the risk of misinterpretation. Instead of defaulting to habit, we should be intentional in how we reach out—choosing the method that best supports the depth and clarity of the conversation.

Whether through a walk, a phone call, or a thoughtful message, every interaction shapes the relationships we build. As we adapt to new tools, we must also be mindful of how we use them. Let’s reclaim the power of real-time conversations and ensure technology enhances, rather than replaces, human connection.