Landline

A telephone connection that carries calls over a fixed physical network rather than a mobile radio network. It may use copper wire, coaxial cable, or fiber-optic cable.

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Plain old telephone service: Traditional telephone service delivered over copper wire, with circuit switching and often power supplied by the telephone network. This is the classic form of landline service, built around a dedicated copper access line.
Twisted pair: A cable made from two insulated conductors twisted together to reduce electromagnetic interference. Copper landline access commonly uses twisted-pair wiring between premises and the network.
Emergency telephone: A telephone intended for contacting emergency services, often installed at a fixed, clearly identified location. Fixed lines can provide a stable address and dependable access for emergency calls.
Mobile phone: A portable telephone that communicates through radio links to a cellular network. Mobile phones replace the fixed physical access connection with a radio connection.
Telephone exchange: A switching facility that connects telephone lines and routes calls between them. It links a landline to other subscribers by selecting a route through the network.
Copper wire: An electrical conductor made primarily of copper, widely used to carry signals and power. It carries voice-frequency signals in traditional landline connections.
Public switched telephone network: The worldwide collection of interconnected public telephone networks that traditionally carried circuit-switched calls. Landlines connect subscribers to the public network and its broad calling reach.
Cellular network: A radio communication system divided into cells, each served by a base station. It provides the mobile-network alternative to a landline’s fixed access path.
Local loop: The connection between a subscriber’s premises and the nearest telephone exchange or access node. This is the fixed network segment that physically connects a landline location to its provider.
Fiber-optic communication: The transmission of information as light through thin strands of glass or plastic. Modern fixed telephone networks often use fiber in their backhaul or access links.