With so many to remember, I've had to cut down on friends. The other day the new number was my own: I got a new cellphone, and suddenly Candy turned into "old what'shername."

But I think I may have discovered Planned Parenthood for phone numbers -- a way to control this crazy proliferation. A few days ago, I asked my co-worker Jessica for all her phone numbers, and she gave me just one -- her cellphone. It turns out Jessica no longer has a home phone. That wireless wonder does it all.

Memorizing her number meant losing only a part of Patrick, but a recent downsizing at the office made his work number useless anyway. Still, I found Jessica's choice a bit odd. Only transients, hermits and losers lack a home phone number.

After talking with Jessica, I began to change that assessment. "Everyone knows they can reach me on that number any time," she said. "And I don't have to check messages in two places." With just one phone, she also saves money.

Of course, it's not perfect. Cellphones don't work everywhere; if you're stuck in a garage, you might miss that important call. Even a decent connection doesn't sound as good as regular old phone service. And it's not as reliable, either; mobile calls seem to get cut off more than rush-hour drivers in Boston. They run on batteries, so there's also a safety problem: During a blackout, for instance, you might not be able to call the fire department or an ambulance if your phone needs recharging. But that doesn't bother Jessica. "I can always power-up in my car."

Jessica's not alone. About 10% of my co-workers have given up their home phone (along with 4% of the general public, according to one study). And from what I see, the trend will continue. Just about everyone I know uses cellphones a lot more now; all those free minutes are just too enticing.

Some companies even encourage it. At least one investment bank in New York buys a cellphone and pays the bill for new analysts, who use that one phone at work and home. Managers and customers can always connect, and the company saves by not adding an extension to the corporate phone system.

"About 20 million phone lines will disappear by 2006," predicts Charles Golvin, senior analyst at Forrester Research. That's more than 15% of all American phone lines. Why?

"[Cellphone] consumers have these huge buckets of minutes that aren't being used," Golvin guesses. "The overall value of the wireless service is perceived to be higher." In short, cellphones are taking over. I'm all in favor of the one-number thing, but I'm not sure cellular is the complete answer. Why sacrifice clarity and consistency when a wired connection is nearby? Wouldn't it be neat if someone combined a cellphone with the kind you use at home, the wireless phone that runs off the wired cradle on the kitchen wall?

In fact, that's just what the mobile-phone maker Ericsson is developing, and it could be available by next year. On the street, your cellphone would work normally. But at home, the phone is connected via a wired cable-modem or DSL connection to a nearby base station. One phone, one number and great quality: the best of both worlds. I can even imagine a future where phone numbers are doled out with birth certificates and kept for life.

I can see the day when phones are surgically implanted in our skulls. Throw in a computerized list of phone numbers and I'll go under the knife! Not only will I be able to remember more friends, but I can go back to keeping track of what's really important: wives, parents, children, sheep and bunny rabbits.

Contributing Editor Jim Louderback is editor of TechTV.