While there is really no question that in many cases a land line is going to be cheaper for local calls, I was a shocked to hear that a study is showing teens prefer using this over the mobile phone!

The lastest study from the Pew Internet and American Life Project is out, and doesn’t look to include anything quite as controversial as their podcast survey a few months back: while it’s not surprising that the phone is still teens’ overwhelming choice for communicating with their friends, they prefer landlines over mobiles. It’s likely that the choice comes down to cost — even though family plans from cellular carriers are growing in popularity, the landline is still generally the cheapest method for long-duration local calls, particularly if Mom and Dad are footing the bill. Twenty-four percent said IM was their perferred method, double the percentage that cited mobile phones — but keep in mind, too, that just 45% of teens surveyed said they own a cell phone. [Get the links]