Some college students are finding that wireless phones are more suitable than landlines for their communication needs.

"It's all about convenience," said Lauren DiMartino (sophomore-marketing and international business), explaining the growing popularity of cellular phones among college students.

Plans including free long distance and roaming make it more affordable for students to use cellular phones rather than landlines, said Benson Lichtig, owner of the Communication Station, 118 S. Pugh St.

"The time lag and cost of getting phones installed causes them to buy cells," Lichtig said. "Some kids I know aren't even getting phones in their apartments."

Ellen Webner, spokeswoman for AT&T Wireless, said using a cell phone saves students the trouble of paying the bill for a landline that is shared between roommates.

"There's no reason to use my landline since I get free long distance on my cell," DiMartino said.

College students spend $50 billion a year on mobile phones, Webner said, citing a survey by Youth Markets Alert.

Seventy-seven percent of Penn State students own wireless phones to stay in touch with friends and family, she added, referring to a wireless usage survey conducted in May by the university.

Last August, so many students at Penn State were using mobile phones that it caused congestion on some networks, but that problem has since been resolved, Lichtig said.

During the year, Verizon updated its systems, so there is probably an excess of space right now, Lichtig said.

DiMartino initially purchased a cell phone in high school for safety reasons.

"My mom didn't want me driving without a way of getting in touch with her," she said.

Now she uses her cell phone to contact people at school as much as people at home.

"You're always on the move," DiMartino said.

A cell phone is an easy way to communicate while running around campus, she said.

"I'd be lost if I didn't have it," Raffaele Fabiano (freshman-division of undergraduate studies) said about his cell phone.

College students like to personalize their phones, Webner said. Ring tones and flashplates enable them to do this.

Other up-and-coming technology that appeals to the demographic of college students is text messaging, e-mailing and wireless Internet. DiMartino said phonebook memory also adds to convenience.

In addition, Webner said wireless technology has matured so that phones get more in-building coverage and hold more data.

Wireless industry firm Telephia published a study showing that 45 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds use these services, compared to 34 percent who used them a year ago, according to Webner.

However, some students don't use these data features.

"All I really care about is the plan and the connection," Fabiano said.

Although there are no reports yet on use of landlines in the dorms this year, there was a decrease in use last year, Linda Witt, manager of on-campus long distance, said.

Witt attributed the decrease in sales to student use of cell phones and e-mail.