Do people just not ring each other any more, is this normal?

No the reverse. I feel very connected to the people I message. I exchange messages with some people several times a day. I never phoned anyone several times a day. And it's efficient and personal. It's quick to send a message and to share jokes, information, make plans, share photos , things that are difficult or impossible to to do in a phone call.
It isn't about not wanting social contact either because I see people face to face and chat for hours sometimes.

What's app all the way. I don't do phone calls unless absolutely necessary ( which is rarely).

I whatsapp or text then too because I know folk will get the message regardless.

I think phone calls are inefficient as you can’t do other things whilst you’re on the phone and it can be hard to end a conversation, so calls can drag on. Plus I like to have a written record of what’s been agreed.

I avoid speaking on the phone like the plague! Just my DM for long chats which I'll one day miss desperately so I always answer her calls.

Other than that I only use calls when abs necessary like car insurance.

I have a lovely friend that is about 20 years older than me (she's mid 60s) and I hate to admit that I avoid her calls as she moved away. The last few calls have been really drawn out with awkward silences as we haven't as much in common anymore.

I think she's a bit put out that we haven't spoken as much but it is just to bloody torturous tbh!! Wish she'd be happy just WhatsApping as it must be clear to her too that the calls are not the same anymore! Like a pp said, I might be able to cope if they were scheduled in but when my phone rings and I see her number come up, I just think ugh and not answer! 🙈

I do quite a bit of FaceTimeing but only with people I’m very close too. I don’t think I’ve called a friend on the phone for decades.

I think it tells me that if you want anything sorted, then a person to person voice conversation remains the quickest, fastest and most direct route to clear and proper understanding of what needs to be done and when. I mostly prefer person to person direct contact. It's much more efficient.

I will literally let the phone ring out and then send them a WhatsApp, unless I think it's an emergency, or it's my mum

My best friend of 40 years lives some distance away so we don't see each other very often. Until a few years ago we would randomly pick up the phone and talk for an hour or two.
Not any more, we do still call but it's pre-arranged by WhatsApp. We were both saying how we miss the old spontaneity.
My two adult sons sometimes call me on their drive home or while out walking which is lovely.
I hate voice notes with a passion, don't mind messaging but I do send long chatty messages and sometimes get a one word reply <sister>

Family - talk on phone (my mum can't understand text) Friends - text or whatsapp.

I'm not a big talker and need to psych myself up a bit if I am going to meet someone, but would hate a phone call out of the blue just to chat.

It’s very rare that I speak to anyone on the phone now, except for quick things that require a call. I don’t like speaking on the phone and, if you think about it, we have actually gone back to an older form of communication, it is just much quicker now. It does feel like most people prefer text. I see my friends very often in person, so we speak properly then. Again, ‘letters’ and in person communication - probably more natural than a disembodied voice, despite the modern tech involved. I’m in my 40’s.

I know its a long long long time since mobiles came into being but I just dont hear as well on them. I hate talking on them. Particularly if someone puts me on loudspeaker which they inevitably do. Or someone inconsiderate phoning from a car.

I miss a landline quite frankly

We do facetime a lot.

EXACTLY. There are some batshit comments on this thread. 'Don't talk on the phone to people? This means that you have no human contact.' What a load of tripe! 😂

I'm 46 and although I don't have any problem picking up the phone, I cannot be bothered to listen to people bleeting on anymore. The only two I speak on the phone to are my husband and elderly mother.
(Apart from doctors, occasional bank and paid services, of course).

Only person I phone regularly is my OH…he HATES texting! Phones everyone. He has ASD and dyslexia so anything other than sending pictures or a very short update that doesn’t require a response, he just can’t understand.
Absolutely everyone else I keep up with on WhatsApp. Love voice notes for a group chat, equally don’t mind long messages as updates.
My phone is on silent 24/7, get notifications on my garmin watch so can glance and decide if it’s something I want to pick my phone up
and look at or read later. Busy group chats that are never going to be urgent don’t have any notifications at all.
If I do ever phone my mum/sister for a time sensitive answer they immediately think there’s a dire emergency 😂

This. ^ To assume everyone who doesn't talk on the phone to people much - unless it's business/official, doesn't speak to or connect with their friends and family is ludicrous. I SEE my friends and family plenty, and don't NEED to speak on the feckin phone.

Maybe the 'always have to speak on the phone' posters should try seeing people in real life more often!

I do both. I love a chat and will ring people if I know they also like a chat - eg I have a friend who hates speaking on the phone, so I WhatsApp her. My best friend and I chat on the phone once a month or so and usually arrange a time earlier in the day. The thing I don’t like is people sending ‘???’ if you don’t reply to a message almost immediately. It makes me want to reply even less.

I'm much older than you and I communicate with friends and family via WhatsApp. If they phone I worry because normally it means something is wrong.

That’s a bit of a leap tbh. Peoples preferred meteors of communicating bears no relation to not calling human contact I’d rather meet and talk face to face with friends than have long phone calls.

I am old school, i use my phone to phone. Nobody leaves me voice notes as they know i will not bother with them. whatsapp i will use for one off messages, if it is going to go back and forth then you better call me or i will stop answering.

Agree100% 👆

Who has said they don't talk to their friends spontaneously?

Batshit comment!

Not at all. I enjoy daily social contact with many people. And to be honest there is nothing more annoying than the phone ringing while I'm in the middle of an actual conversation with a person who is in the room with me.