Landline Subscriptions Are in Steady Decline
According to Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications statistics, fixed-line telephone contracts (subscriber lines plus ISDN) peaked at about 63 million in fiscal 1997 but had fallen to roughly 14 million by 2023 - less than a quarter of the peak in just over a quarter century. The spread of mobile phones, the rise of IP telephony, and the diversification of communication tools are the main drivers. Yet many households still have a landline they barely use.
Whether to cancel your landline is not a decision you can make on cost alone. Social credibility, emergency communication, service registration requirements, and security considerations all factor in. This article lays out the pros and cons of keeping versus canceling your landline so you can make the best decision for your situation.
The Cost of Keeping a Landline
NTT Analog Line
The minimum cost of maintaining an NTT analog landline breaks down as follows:
- Basic fee (line usage charge): 1,815-2,090 yen/month (tax included) for residential dial lines, or 1,980-2,090 yen/month for push-button lines, varying by local exchange grade (1st to 3rd class)
- Universal service fee: A small nationwide per-number surcharge (the amount is revised periodically)
- Telephone relay service fee: Likewise a small per-number surcharge (the amount is revised periodically)
- Caller ID Display: 440 yen/month (tax included). Practically essential for nuisance call protection
- Number Request: 220 yen/month (tax included). Needed to reject anonymous calls
The estimates below assume a residential push-button line in a third-class exchange area at 2,090 yen/month. The basic fee alone totals about 25,080 yen/year. Add Caller ID Display and Number Request, and it rises to about 33,000 yen/year. That is over 30,000 yen annually for a phone you barely use. Adding Nuisance Call Rejection (660 yen/month) pushes the total to about 40,920 yen/year. All fees and estimates in this article are based on published rates as of 2026 and do not reflect any later revisions.
Hikari Denwa
Hikari Denwa is an IP phone service offered as a fiber optic add-on. NTT's Hikari Denwa basic fee is 550 yen/month (tax included) - about a quarter of an analog line's usage charge. However, it requires a fiber optic subscription (Flets Hikari, etc.), which costs an additional 5,720 yen/month (detached house) or 3,630 yen/month (apartment). If you already use fiber for internet, the incremental cost of Hikari Denwa is just 550 yen/month.
10-Year Cumulative Cost
Projecting the cumulative cost of maintaining a landline for 10 years makes the expense tangible:
- NTT analog (basic fee only): About 250,800 yen
- NTT analog (with nuisance call protection): About 409,200 yen
- Hikari Denwa (basic fee only): About 66,000 yen
An analog line with nuisance call protection services costs roughly 410,000 yen over 10 years. Redirecting that money elsewhere makes the economic case for cancellation clear.
Benefits of Canceling Your Landline
Cost Savings
As outlined above, saving 20,000-40,000 yen per year is the primary benefit. For households that rarely use their landline, this is pure waste elimination.
Eliminating Nuisance Call and Scam Risk
Landlines are a primary target for nuisance calls and phone scams. According to National Police Agency statistics, the telephone was the most common channel scammers used to first contact victims, accounting for 77.5% of special fraud cases in 2023. Canceling your landline closes off scams that come in through your home phone. For households with elderly members, cancellation may be the single most effective anti-fraud measure.
Ending Personal Information Exposure via Phone Directories
Long-standing landline subscribers may still have their name, address, and phone number listed in the phone directory (Hello Page). This information can be harvested by list brokers and used for telemarketing or scam targeting. Canceling your landline eliminates this exposure.
Improved Living Space
Landline wiring and handsets take up space. Cordless phone base stations require a dedicated spot, and cable routing can be messy. Cancellation lets you remove all this equipment and declutter your home.
Drawbacks and Considerations of Cancellation
Updating Services Registered with Your Landline Number
If any services have your landline number on file, you must update them all to your mobile number before canceling. Commonly overlooked registrations include:
- Financial institutions: Bank accounts, brokerage accounts, insurance policies
- Government agencies: Municipal offices, pension offices, tax offices
- Schools and daycare: Emergency contact registrations
- Medical facilities: Your doctor's office, hospital patient records
- Real estate: Rental agreements, building management associations
- Membership services: Online shopping, loyalty cards, subscription services
Before canceling, compile a comprehensive list of services registered with your landline number and complete all changes first.
Impact on Social Credibility
The notion that "having a landline = settled residence = creditworthy" faded rapidly from the 2000s onward. As of 2026, the presence or absence of a landline rarely affects credit card or loan approvals. However, some senior-oriented services and local neighborhood associations still request a landline number.
Emergency Communication
During major disasters, mobile base stations can be damaged or overwhelmed, rendering mobile calls unreliable. NTT's analog landlines receive power from the telephone exchange and remain operational during power outages (though cordless handsets will not work). Hikari Denwa, on the other hand, does not work during outages. Keeping a landline for disaster communication is a reasonable choice, but alternatives exist - Disaster Message Dial (171) is accessible from mobile phones as well.
FAX Usage
If you use your landline for FAX transmission, canceling means losing FAX capability. If you regularly fax for business or medical communication, consider migrating to an internet FAX service. These cost a few hundred yen per month and allow sending and receiving faxes from a smartphone or computer.
Handling the Telephone Subscription Right
The installation fee (telephone subscription right, 36,000 yen) paid when subscribing to an NTT analog line is not refunded upon cancellation. However, you can choose to "suspend" your line instead, which incurs no monthly fees. Suspension lasts up to 10 years, during which you can reactivate. If you are unsure about full cancellation but want to cut costs, suspension is worth considering.
Alternatives to a Landline
Consolidating to Mobile Only
The simplest alternative is consolidating to mobile phones. Mobile call quality has reached a level comparable to landlines, and unlimited calling plans (around 1,980 yen/month as of 2026) eliminate call charge concerns. If every household member has a mobile phone, the landline's role is almost entirely replaceable.
IP Phone Services
050-number IP phone services have monthly fees ranging from free to a few hundred yen. They work over any internet connection and offer a landline-like experience. However, note that 050 numbers cannot make emergency calls (110, 119).
SoftBank "Ouchi no Denwa"
SoftBank's "Ouchi no Denwa" is an LTE-based landline service priced at 1,078 yen/month (tax included) as of 2026, or 550 yen/month (tax included) with a SoftBank or Y!mobile bundle discount. It works with your existing phone, supports area-code numbers (03, 06, etc.), and offers number portability from NTT analog lines. Since it does not require fiber, it suits households that rely on mobile tethering for internet.
Cloud PBX and Virtual Phone Numbers
For business use, cloud PBX and virtual phone number services are strong alternatives. They let you keep a landline number while forwarding calls to your smartphone, eliminating the need for a physical phone in the office. Starting at a few thousand yen per month, they also offer the flexibility of receiving calls on multiple devices simultaneously.
Pre-Cancellation Checklist
Before deciding to cancel, confirm every item on this list:
- Have you listed all services registered with your landline number?
- Have you updated all those registrations to your mobile number?
- Have you obtained consent from all household members (especially elderly family)?
- If you use FAX, have you secured an alternative?
- Have you confirmed your home security system does not depend on the landline?
- Have you checked whether your apartment intercom is linked to the landline?
- Have you considered whether suspension or full cancellation is more appropriate?
- Have you evaluated whether a mobile phone alone is sufficient for disaster communication?
Clearing every item before proceeding minimizes the risk of post-cancellation regret. Our Hikari Denwa migration guide and VoIP basics are also useful when evaluating alternatives.
How to Cancel
Canceling an NTT Analog Line
To cancel an NTT landline, call 116 (shared by NTT East and West) or apply through NTT's website. Identity verification of the subscriber is required. The cancellation date is typically set a few days to two weeks after application, after which the phone will no longer work.
Canceling Hikari Denwa
To cancel only Hikari Denwa while keeping your fiber internet, contact your provider or NTT to cancel the Hikari Denwa option. To cancel fiber entirely, you need to go through your provider's cancellation process. Early termination fees may apply depending on your contract, so check the terms in advance.
Suspending Your Subscription
If you prefer suspension over full cancellation, call 116 and request "service suspension." No monthly fees are charged during suspension, and your number is retained for up to 5 years (extendable to 10 years with a filing). Be mindful of the expiration date, as the number is forfeited once the suspension period ends.
Summary - A Decision Framework
Decide whether to cancel your landline along these three axes:
- Usage frequency: If you use it only a few times a month or less, cancellation makes economic sense
- Security: For households with elderly members, cancellation is an effective way to eliminate phone scam risk
- Alternatives: Can you secure suitable alternatives - mobile phone, IP phone, cloud PBX - for your needs?
Paying tens of thousands of yen per year for a landline you keep "just because" is neither economically nor security-wise rational. Use the checklist in this article to make the optimal decision for your household.