Terminating plain old telephone service

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February 23rd, 2014 at 6:55:39 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
As you can imagine many phone companies would like to stop supporting copper based land lines.

The Lansing State Journal notes that Michigan legislation backed by AT&T would allow phone companies to discontinue landline service -- and the DSL service that runs over it -- with just 90 days' notice beginning in 2017.

The following quote was cited to counter this argument.

(Bill Wayland) wants to keep the landline phone in his Chesterfield Township home. He can’t get service on his cell phone in the workshop in his basement and said he often loses calls when he uses his cell phone in his office. His 21-year-old disabled son doesn't have the fine motor skills to use a cell phone, and his security alarm is wired to his landline.

Do you find these arguments convincing, or should phone companies be permitted to drop the service that originally built modern civilization?
February 24th, 2014 at 2:18:18 AM permalink
beachbumbabs
Member since: Sep 3, 2013
Threads: 6
Posts: 1600
Quote: Pacomartin
As you can imagine many phone companies would like to stop supporting copper based land lines.

The Lansing State Journal notes that Michigan legislation backed by AT&T would allow phone companies to discontinue landline service -- and the DSL service that runs over it -- with just 90 days' notice beginning in 2017.

The following quote was cited to counter this argument.

(Bill Wayland) wants to keep the landline phone in his Chesterfield Township home. He can’t get service on his cell phone in the workshop in his basement and said he often loses calls when he uses his cell phone in his office. His 21-year-old disabled son doesn't have the fine motor skills to use a cell phone, and his security alarm is wired to his landline.

Do you find these arguments convincing, or should phone companies be permitted to drop the service that originally built modern civilization?


Phone companies should NOT be allowed to drop land-line service. Here in Florida, mid- and post-hurricane, the landline is often the only thing left working. Same type of issues in other types of emergency weather/disaster potentials. The trunk lines and re-routes are already installed, and are differentiated from most other systems, like cell towers and transformers. Dumping the landline support creates a single point of failure. Until technology/coverage is sufficiently dense to provide suitable redundancy, this can't be allowed to happen. I would support subsidizing the archaic technology ala Amtrak until (and unless) a suitable point is reached. Not to bring politics into it; might be an FCC surcharge or something, but might also be a private subsidy, like linebacker insurance with ATT.
Never doubt a small group of concerned citizens can change the world; it's the only thing ever has
February 24th, 2014 at 7:03:25 AM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: beachbumbabs
Here in Florida, mid- and post-hurricane, the landline is often the only thing left working. Same type of issues in other types of emergency weather/disaster potentials.


After Hurricane Sandy, the cell towers proved inadequate. In many cases the phone company would not restore DSL lines.
February 24th, 2014 at 7:41:48 AM permalink
boopsahoy
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1
Posts: 33
When we had that massive blackout a few years ago in NY, the lines at the payphones were incredibly long as no one could get cell reception. I was very thankful for my Moms landline as I was able to call her and leave a message for my husband. Until cellphones ALWAYS work we need landlines.
February 24th, 2014 at 8:03:47 AM permalink
boymimbo
Member since: Mar 25, 2013
Threads: 5
Posts: 732
Yeah, we don't get rid of our landline for the same reason. But duh, make sure that you don't have a cordless phone because your landline is completely useless if you have a phone that only works when it's plugged in to electricity. You need a phone that only uses the phone line for power.
February 24th, 2014 at 2:15:37 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: boymimbo
Yeah, we don't get rid of our landline for the same reason. ...


The local cable company will sell you phone service (unlimited domestic calls) for $20|$25|$30 for years 1,2,3 . After that I am not sure what the price is.

Verizon is charging $60 /month for a landline with unlimited calling. It's a price that says "Legally, we are required to offer this service as part of the Bell breakup requirements, but we really don't want your business".

The cable company VOIP phone lines are almost as good as Plain Old Telephone Service, except the battery only lasts 4 hours in the cable phones. After that they are useless. But I may be kidding myself in the event of a catastrophe. They may get just as overloaded as the cellular towers.
February 24th, 2014 at 3:30:32 PM permalink
AZDuffman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 135
Posts: 18136
Quote: boopsahoy
When we had that massive blackout a few years ago in NY, the lines at the payphones were incredibly long as no one could get cell reception. I was very thankful for my Moms landline as I was able to call her and leave a message for my husband. Until cellphones ALWAYS work we need landlines.


Mine worked fine. Might have been towers in the city overwhelmed.
The President is a fink.
February 24th, 2014 at 5:47:00 PM permalink
TheCesspit
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 23
Posts: 1929
Relying on one technology is foolish. Have both.
It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die.... it's called Life
February 24th, 2014 at 7:25:30 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
There are still landlines? Seriously? What a dinosaur.
Do people watch their Betamax's while talking on the
Princess phone?
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
February 24th, 2014 at 8:12:05 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: Evenbob
There are still landlines? Seriously? What a dinosaur. Do people watch their Betamax's while talking on the Princess phone?


The backup battery for the cable landline costs about $35 retail for a 5 hour battery, and our cable company provides one for free. A 24 hour battery is over $100 and you could order one online. Some cable companies are charging people for an optional 5 hour battery at retail, and they are turned down by 99% of their customers.


So it's not just landlines, but Plain Old Telephone Systems or POTS (where the corporation takes care of battery backup) that are vanishing. Since most people don't lose power like they did before WWII, it isn't an issue for many people.

Mobile phones at T-mobile are down to $35/month for unlimited voice, and you can invest $100-$150 for a bluetooth gateway that allows your cellular calls to go through the house wirelessly on DECT 6.0 or wired when you are at home. This takes care of dead spots in the home, multiple people possibly picking up the phone, or the necessity to run over to the charging station to answer the phone when you are recharging.


If people kept extra batteries charged, it would take care of a lot of situations, but in extended outages many people are not prepared.

With phone companies charging such incredibly high rates for POTS, very few people want such a limited service. Where regulations guarantee a low rate, it is very seldom that unlimited nationwide calling is protected, and most people expect that today. Many kids are completely unfamiliar with the term "long-distance".

Many people believe that should a situation develop where a major metropolis is without power for 72 hours, will have aggravated emergencies because of the loss of communication. Stationary bikes that can charge cell phones are relatively rare in people's homes.

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