I'm sure there are still people that do use their landlines, but nobody I know does other than my grandparents, and I've never had a working landline in any flat I've lived in. This isn't the government pushing people off a technology onto a cheaper, shittier alternative, society moved to a more convenient technology and the government don't want to waste money on a service used by a small and diminishing fraction of people.

That small and diminishing fraction are among the most vulnerable in society and therefore most likely to need a simple, reliable phone service that they understand how to use in an emergency.

> nobody I know does other than my grandparents

Nice to see the younger generation caring so much about the elderly.

> the government don't want to waste money

The government exists to waste money, and if they want to start saving some I can think of 1000 better places to start.