# $20 solar cell-phone chargers -- everyone should have one?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-solar-cell-phone-chargers-everyone-should-have-one/1033914>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [October 17, 2026, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-solar-cell-phone-chargers-everyone-should-have-one/1033914 "2026-10-17T16:24:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2026, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-solar-cell-phone-chargers-everyone-should-have-one/1033914/21 "2026-10-18T12:40:50Z")

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> [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](#):
>
> That is still relevant for the 27% of households (50% or seniors) that have a wired landline phone. And really, for cellphones too --cellphones are only wireless for the last mile or so going from the phone to the nearest cell tower – those are wired to the exchange office, and from then on, the call goes over the regular telephone network (wired, fiber, microwave, undersea cable, etc.).

My mother is one of those who still has a landline phone but currently it’s a VoIP line through the cable company. Prior to that, it was a VoIP line through a fiber connection from the incumbent local exchange carrier. And until this year, it was a true copper landline (a POTS line in other words). Only the POTS lines work via power supplied over the copper line and they are going away _entirely_ by the end of 2029. I think some who _think_ they have a landline have one of the new technologies.

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