Man, 24, Discovers Parents' House Has a 'Landline' That Makes Calls Without Wi-Fi

Jake Morrison, 24, has reported the discovery of what his parents describe as a 'landline telephone' in their suburban Chicago kitchen — a device that transmits voice communication through a copper wire embedded in the wall, requires no Wi-Fi, no data plan, no charging, and has been operational since 1987. 'It's just on the wall,' Morrison said, visibly processing the information. 'It's always been there. I thought it was decorative. Like a clock that doesn't work. But my mom picked it up and talked to someone. No FaceTime, no Bluetooth, no AirPods. She just held it to her face and talked. Into the wall.' Morrison's parents, David and Karen Morrison, have maintained the landline for thirty-nine years. It costs $28 per month and has never required a software update, never displayed a notification, and has a battery life that is, functionally, infinite. 'You pick it up, you hear a tone, you press numbers, someone answers,' said David Morrison. 'That's it. That's the technology. It was cutting-edge in 1987 and it works exactly the same way now, which is more than I can say for literally anything else in this house.' Jake attempted to use the landline and was stymied by several features he found counterintuitive. The phone cannot send texts. It cannot take photographs. It does not display who is calling before you answer. 'You just answer and find out?' he said. 'That's unhinged. What if it's someone you don't want to talk to?' 'You hang up,' said his mother. 'But then they know you hung up on them,' said Jake. 'Yes,' said his mother. Jake has described the landline to friends, who have expressed reactions ranging from 'what's a landline' to 'that's giving museum energy.' One friend asked if it connects to Bluetooth. It does not. Another asked what happens if the Wi-Fi goes out. Jake's father, who has been waiting decades for this moment, said: 'Nothing. Nothing happens. The phone just works. That's the point.' Jake has posted a TikTok about the landline. It has 3 million views. Several commenters have asked where to buy one.