In one embodiment, a communication device according to the invention includes an accelerometer, and an operational aspect of the communication device is adapted to be influenced by an output of the accelerometer. The communication device may be a telephone, such as a wireless telephone, and the accelerometer may influence the operational aspect of the wireless telephone to advantageously make the wireless telephone operate more like a wired telephone. An exemplary wireless handset according to the invention may include a wireless transceiver, a controller, and an accelerometer, wherein the controller is adapted to receive an output from the accelerometer and affect a state of the wireless transceiver based thereon. In another embodiment according to the invention, a method of operating a communication device includes the steps of determining a motion characteristic of the communication device, and affecting an operational aspect of the communication device based on the motion characteristic. An exemplary method of operating a wireless telephone handset according to the invention includes the steps of receiving a ring signal, sensing a movement of the handset, and transitioning to an off-hook state from an on-hook state based on the sensed movement. An alternative method of operating a wireless telephone handset includes the steps of determining an absence of voice activity, determining an absence of motion, and transitioning to an on-hook state based on the absence of voice activity and absence of motion.