2026 Survey: Do Gen Z and Millennials Have Different Phone Habits?
The Generational Phone Divide: Gen Z vs. Millennials Millennials grew up leaving voicemails. Gen Z grew up leaving people on read. But despite the stereotypes, the way the two generations use their phones may be more similar than expected. Including screening unknown calls and using AI to write personal text messages, younger Americans are developing […]
“Imagine a device as powerful as a calculator,” Steve Jobs never once said while standing on a dimly lit stage. He also never took a flip-phone out from his jean pockets before asking us to gaze into the past. Yet, had Apple’s former CEO ever announced, “Our new device can make and receive calls,” it […]
Fasten your seatbelts cause it’s a wild ride out there! With phone numbers tied to virtually all of our personal accounts, logins, authentications, etc., protecting your phone number is more crucial than ever. Spamming, spoofing, smishing, phishing – we’re running out of phrases for common types of security threats bombarding from every angle. So, how […]
Houston is big. Like “you can drive for an hour and still be in Houston” big. So it makes sense that having one lonely area code was never going to cut it — not with millions of residents, nonstop growth, and the fact that most of us now juggle a phone, a work line, a […]
If you’ve landed here, you’re likely already familiar with the fact that you don’t have to stick to “carrier assigned phone numbers.” You can purchase phone numbers that you actually want or prefer. So, let’s get into what actually matters when you’re ready to buy a phone number — because there’s a little more to […]
Your phone number is tied to almost everything you do – banking, deliveries, job applications, medical appointments, even multi-factor authentication. When you make a call, your number may reveal more than you expect: your location, your identity, or a link back to your personal line. Sometimes, you want to make a call without sharing your […]
Chicago is a city where neighborhoods feel like small towns, historic streets tell long stories, and yep, people still get oddly protective about their area codes. If you’ve ever wondered why 312 feels iconic, why 773 is everywhere, or how 872 quietly joined the family, you’re in the right place. This guide explores Chicago area […]
“My contract is ending soon and I want to switch carriers. How do I ensure a timely process with transferring my phone number?” “I’m moving soon but want to keep my age-old landline phone number, how long does it take to port my number to park and store it?” If you’re switching carriers, moving your […]
Real people who know phone numbers, telecom trends, business tips and more, inside and out.
Melana Preston
Melana Preston is a Sr. Copywriter for NumberBarn and ClearHello. With her extensive background in marketing and humanitarian work, she loves working for “a company that truly values people and meaningful connections.” When she’s not pun-tificating clever copy or dad jokes, you can find her lost behind her camera lens capturing a mountain or sunset.
Jeremy Watkin is Director of Customer Support and Experience at NumberBarn. Not only does he love serving customers, but he's a prolific writer and speaker on the topic and has been recognized numerous times for his thought leadership. Be sure to connect with him on Twitter. His handle is @jtwatkin.
Jenny Dempsey was Social Media & Customer Experience Manager from 2017-2020, bringing her extensive telecom industry knowledge to help build NumberBarn’s content-base while cultivating a positive & happy customer experience.
Joel Arnold is a Digital Marketer with diverse experience and industry expertise in telecommunications, real estate, travel, health & wellness, and content creation. When he’s not at home watching Survivor, you can catch him and his wife reading at a coffee shop or taking their family to the park.
Alan is a lifestyle blogger, marketing manager, and art director who has been covering electronics and media culture for so long, he remembers being disconnected from the internet whenever somebody would pick up the phone.
Will Fulton is a writer and editor who's covered technology, games, and theater for publications like Popular Science, Uber, Polygon, Lifewire, Digital Trends, and more. He's now mostly focused on helping his houseplants thrive and raising his chihuahua mix Charlie to be an upstanding citizen.
Mariana Camacho is a content strategist and communications specialist focused on brand storytelling, marketing, and creative writing. She works with international brands and founders across lifestyle, hospitality, technology, and social impact, helping them shape narratives that connect and genuinely impact the people they’re meant to serve.
Ella Delancey Jones is an award-nominated journalist and copywriter who began her career in tech and consumer PR in London before launching her own content business in 2018. Her writing has appeared in publications including Cosmopolitan, POPSUGAR, Insider, The Independent, and Grazia, and she has been featured on Sky News and BBC. Ella is known for producing clear, thoughtful, and reliable content across journalism and brand storytelling.
Collin Czarnecki is a researcher specializing in consumer behavior, public records analysis, and survey-based studies. He spent nearly a decade as a journalist and editor, publishing more than 2,500 articles for newspapers and digital news outlets across the Gannett network and Patch.com.
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