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Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: NewtonMP2100
Date: May 05, 2017 07:25AM
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......disappearing...50.8% don't have one.....
.......but what happens during emergency when cell phones are bombarded like during 9-11 or if cell towers are down or if service is somehow disrupted (either naturally or jammed) or if the power goes out (most landlines still work when power goes out)......
Most American homes have now ditched landlines, but it’s not just about tech
....Those of us who ditched landlines in favor of cellphones years ago might think it quaint that it’s taken this long, but we are now – for the first time – in the majority …
A government survey of 20,000 U.S. households found that the percentage who had mobile only phone service reached 50.8%, up from 48.3% a year earlier. Fortune notes that the landmark was hit at the end of last year but only reported now.
The study was carried out by an unlikely agency: the Centers for Disease Control. The reason? It needed to know how to contact people for its more usual surveys, and to understand what percentage of the population it would be reaching if it relied only on landline calls.
In the CDC survey for the second half of 2016, 50.8% of households had only mobile service, up from 48.3% a year earlier. Another 39.4% of households had both types of service and 6.5% had landlines only. The survey, released on Thursday, found 3.2% of homes had no phone connection of any kind.
While the move away from largely-redundant landlines makes sense on a tech level, cost is unsurprisingly a key driver, with mobile-only rates highest among the poorest households.
A greater portion of adults living in poverty (66%) and near poverty (59%) were relying solely on cell phone service, the CDC said. Among higher income adults, only 49% were mobile-only.
As Fortune notes, landlines are the first example of mass-market cord-cutting, but all the pointers suggest that cable TV is next in line. The final frontier may be Internet services, where faster mobile data services is leading some to abandon fixed connections there too.
no more landline phones..........................?!
_____________________________________
I reject your reality and substitute my own!
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/2017 09:52AM by NewtonMP2100.
.......but what happens during emergency when cell phones are bombarded like during 9-11 or if cell towers are down or if service is somehow disrupted (either naturally or jammed) or if the power goes out (most landlines still work when power goes out)......
Most American homes have now ditched landlines, but it’s not just about tech
....Those of us who ditched landlines in favor of cellphones years ago might think it quaint that it’s taken this long, but we are now – for the first time – in the majority …
A government survey of 20,000 U.S. households found that the percentage who had mobile only phone service reached 50.8%, up from 48.3% a year earlier. Fortune notes that the landmark was hit at the end of last year but only reported now.
The study was carried out by an unlikely agency: the Centers for Disease Control. The reason? It needed to know how to contact people for its more usual surveys, and to understand what percentage of the population it would be reaching if it relied only on landline calls.
In the CDC survey for the second half of 2016, 50.8% of households had only mobile service, up from 48.3% a year earlier. Another 39.4% of households had both types of service and 6.5% had landlines only. The survey, released on Thursday, found 3.2% of homes had no phone connection of any kind.
While the move away from largely-redundant landlines makes sense on a tech level, cost is unsurprisingly a key driver, with mobile-only rates highest among the poorest households.
A greater portion of adults living in poverty (66%) and near poverty (59%) were relying solely on cell phone service, the CDC said. Among higher income adults, only 49% were mobile-only.
As Fortune notes, landlines are the first example of mass-market cord-cutting, but all the pointers suggest that cable TV is next in line. The final frontier may be Internet services, where faster mobile data services is leading some to abandon fixed connections there too.
no more landline phones..........................?!
_____________________________________
I reject your reality and substitute my own!
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/2017 09:52AM by NewtonMP2100.
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: C(-)ris
Date: May 05, 2017 07:45AM
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Quote
NewtonMP2100
......disappearing...50.8% don't have one.....but what happens during emergency when cell phones are bombarded like during 9-11......
Most of those phone calls were unnecessary and due to panicked people. You don't need half a million people calling 911 in a mass emergency. It accomplishes nothing. Best thing to do in a mass emergency is find somewhere safe and sit tight until it is over. You don't need to be calling every person in your phone book either to see if they are alright. They either are or they aren't and you calling them isn't going to change their situation at all.
C(-)ris
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: max
Date: May 05, 2017 07:46AM
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It is not just a question of landlines, but copper landlines.
During the hurricanes here, we lose power and the only thing that invariably works are the phone company powered copper lines.
This was one reason I held out as long as I could against going VOIP in our business phone system until last year AT&T pulled a fast switcheroo. within a month.we went down for an entire day.
After a major hurricane the local powers that be commandeer the cell frequencies for days, not because they need to, but because they can, That leaves the old copper landlines as the sole functioning system for as long as a week....
During the hurricanes here, we lose power and the only thing that invariably works are the phone company powered copper lines.
This was one reason I held out as long as I could against going VOIP in our business phone system until last year AT&T pulled a fast switcheroo. within a month.we went down for an entire day.
After a major hurricane the local powers that be commandeer the cell frequencies for days, not because they need to, but because they can, That leaves the old copper landlines as the sole functioning system for as long as a week....
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: mlfrank
Date: May 05, 2017 08:56AM
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I dropped the landline for two main reasons: (1) I could (2) saving $50 per month.
I have the internet connection through the phone lines and for the last 6+ years was told I had to have the phone as well, their "bundle" deal. Finally several months ago when looking into Century Link's newest offerings I was told I did not have to have the phone - but only after I had asked about it, they did not tell me first.
Now, if I can get by the poor indoor reception.
I have the internet connection through the phone lines and for the last 6+ years was told I had to have the phone as well, their "bundle" deal. Finally several months ago when looking into Century Link's newest offerings I was told I did not have to have the phone - but only after I had asked about it, they did not tell me first.
Now, if I can get by the poor indoor reception.
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: Ombligo
Date: May 05, 2017 09:04AM
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My mother is getting royally ripped off on her landline - $35/month for local calls only. She doesn't have internet, so can't get VOIP without paying $45 for that. Neither of us are comfortable putting her on cell only (she routinely locks her senior cell up).
I was looking for alternatives, it took me a few hours just to figure out who her landline phone company is.
at 97, I'm not going to fuss about it.
“No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.” -- François de La Rochefoucauld
"Those who cannot accept the past are condemned to revise it." -- Geo. Mathias
The German word for contraceptive is “Schwangerschaftsverhütungsmittel”. By the time you finished saying that, it’s too late
I was looking for alternatives, it took me a few hours just to figure out who her landline phone company is.
at 97, I'm not going to fuss about it.
“No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.” -- François de La Rochefoucauld
"Those who cannot accept the past are condemned to revise it." -- Geo. Mathias
The German word for contraceptive is “Schwangerschaftsverhütungsmittel”. By the time you finished saying that, it’s too late
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: Robert M
Date: May 05, 2017 09:25AM
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C(-)ris,
We'll definitely have to disagree here. That phone call could in fact make all the difference to someone and I can vouch for it from experience. On many an occasion during an emergency situation, I've gotten my family settled and made calls to other people I know who might need help. Sometimes all was well. Other times, the person did in fact need help and I and other people were able to be there for him/her.
Robert
"You don't need to be calling every person in your phone book either to see if they are alright. They either are or they aren't and you calling them isn't going to change their situation at all."
We'll definitely have to disagree here. That phone call could in fact make all the difference to someone and I can vouch for it from experience. On many an occasion during an emergency situation, I've gotten my family settled and made calls to other people I know who might need help. Sometimes all was well. Other times, the person did in fact need help and I and other people were able to be there for him/her.
Robert
"You don't need to be calling every person in your phone book either to see if they are alright. They either are or they aren't and you calling them isn't going to change their situation at all."
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: blooz
Date: May 05, 2017 09:51AM
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Like Max said, in some areas it makes sense to keep the landline. When the power goes out how do you charge the cell phone? The landline usually still works when the electricity is out.
Also with DSL my only internet option, I might just as well keep the phone.
Maybe it's because i'm so damn old, but I feel more secure with the landline.
And we should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once.
—Friedrich Nietzsche
Western Massachusetts
Also with DSL my only internet option, I might just as well keep the phone.
Maybe it's because i'm so damn old, but I feel more secure with the landline.
And we should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once.
—Friedrich Nietzsche
Western Massachusetts
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: Buck
Date: May 05, 2017 10:01AM
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: C(-)ris
Date: May 05, 2017 10:01AM
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Quote
Robert M
C(-)ris,
We'll definitely have to disagree here. That phone call could in fact make all the difference to someone and I can vouch for it from experience. On many an occasion during an emergency situation, I've gotten my family settled and made calls to other people I know who might need help. Sometimes all was well. Other times, the person did in fact need help and I and other people were able to be there for him/her.
Robert
"You don't need to be calling every person in your phone book either to see if they are alright. They either are or they aren't and you calling them isn't going to change their situation at all."
If they could answer your phone call why couldn't they call for help themselves? The people who need help should be the ones doing the calling. In your example you made possibly dozens of phone calls and found 1 person who needed help. That was 12 calls, had that 1 person just called you, that would be 1 call made. This is a much more efficient use of limited resources in an emergency.
C(-)ris
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: Robert M
Date: May 05, 2017 10:35AM
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C(-)ris,
I didn't say how many people were called and how many people needed assistance. You're making an assumption that isn't necessarily accurate at all. Heck, I don't even know how you came up with your numbers, though some ideas do come to mind. The point is the calls were made, assistance proved necessary and it made contacting the police, fire department, or other emergency personnel unnecessary. That is what matters.
Robert
I didn't say how many people were called and how many people needed assistance. You're making an assumption that isn't necessarily accurate at all. Heck, I don't even know how you came up with your numbers, though some ideas do come to mind. The point is the calls were made, assistance proved necessary and it made contacting the police, fire department, or other emergency personnel unnecessary. That is what matters.
Robert
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: freeradical
Date: May 05, 2017 10:47AM
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: C(-)ris
Date: May 05, 2017 11:45AM
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Quote
Robert M
C(-)ris,
I didn't say how many people were called and how many people needed assistance. You're making an assumption that isn't necessarily accurate at all. Heck, I don't even know how you came up with your numbers, though some ideas do come to mind. The point is the calls were made, assistance proved necessary and it made contacting the police, fire department, or other emergency personnel unnecessary. That is what matters.
Robert
I just threw out a random number, could have been any number greater than 1. But a dozen was a nice even number.
You never responded to my point that it is far more efficient to have the person who needs help do the calling as it is known that they need help. Calling people to find out if they need help is inherently less efficient.
What if someone was trying to call 911 and couldn't get through because of many unnecessary calls to find out if someone needed help were overloading the system.
Any public safety official is going to tell you that in an emergency, unless you need help, leave the airways clear so that those who need help can reach the help they need.
C(-)ris
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: 3d
Date: May 05, 2017 11:53AM
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Quote
freeradical
Quote
blooz
When the power goes out how do you charge the cell phone?
I have a battery pack that's good for about 5-6 full charges.
I finally relented and purchased a $20 Anker Powercore battery pack a few months ago. Good for 3 full charges for my iPhone. I keep it with my everyday carry stuff. Cell, keys, wallet, etc. Which reminds me, I need to plug it in and top off the power. $20 peace of mind well worth it.
In a prolonged power emergency. If I'm ultra careful, I think I can stretch it out to 3-4 weeks of extremely minimal cell usage.
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: Robert M
Date: May 05, 2017 12:07PM
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C(-)ris,
You keep making assumptions in your posts. Why? For example, you are assuming the people who were contacted had the option of making calls. That wasn't necessarily the case on multiple occasions and _definitely_ not the case for some after hurricane sandy. In the case of hurricane Sandy, cell phones weren't reliable. I couldn't use mine. I was able to use a landline. The super and other people went knocking on doors.
Robert
You keep making assumptions in your posts. Why? For example, you are assuming the people who were contacted had the option of making calls. That wasn't necessarily the case on multiple occasions and _definitely_ not the case for some after hurricane sandy. In the case of hurricane Sandy, cell phones weren't reliable. I couldn't use mine. I was able to use a landline. The super and other people went knocking on doors.
Robert
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: TheTominator
Date: May 05, 2017 12:11PM
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Verizon refused to maintain the buried copper lines to my location.
When it rained, the phone went out.
I was charged $40/month for just local calling (business line). Long distance and toll calls were extra (about $10/month).
Transferring my phone number to AT&T's wireless home phone product reduced my cost to $20/month. The call quality has gone down. The average uptime is about the same since cell signal drops fairly frequently.
Power outages aren't a problem since battery backups and solar powered recharging on the battery are available to me.
So the phone service is pretty pathetic before and after, but at least I'm paying $30 less per month.
It's a good thing I don't like to talk on the phone.
When it rained, the phone went out.
I was charged $40/month for just local calling (business line). Long distance and toll calls were extra (about $10/month).
Transferring my phone number to AT&T's wireless home phone product reduced my cost to $20/month. The call quality has gone down. The average uptime is about the same since cell signal drops fairly frequently.
Power outages aren't a problem since battery backups and solar powered recharging on the battery are available to me.
So the phone service is pretty pathetic before and after, but at least I'm paying $30 less per month.
It's a good thing I don't like to talk on the phone.
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: RE:up
Date: May 05, 2017 12:22PM
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: testcase
Date: May 05, 2017 12:27PM
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".......but what happens during emergency when cell phones are bombarded like during 9-11 or if cell towers are down or if service is somehow disrupted (either naturally or jammed) or if the power goes out (most landlines still work when power goes out)......
"
Simple, cell phone users are then SOL.
I hated to do it but, about three years ago, I dropped my Verizon POTS. The "base rate" was only ~ $17/month BUT, taxes, fees, surcharges etc DOUBLED that AND with the basic service I had dropped down to, I had to pay for EVERY outgoing call that was not to a toll-free number (I generally called out on my iPhone). I ported my old landline number because I'd had it since 1980. The contract with Sprint will be up soon. If I can figure out how to move that number to Google Voice, I will and drop Sprint. I doubt cell service will ever be as clear and riliable as POTS has proven to be. "Can you hear me now" often is STILL a valid question.
"
Simple, cell phone users are then SOL.
I hated to do it but, about three years ago, I dropped my Verizon POTS. The "base rate" was only ~ $17/month BUT, taxes, fees, surcharges etc DOUBLED that AND with the basic service I had dropped down to, I had to pay for EVERY outgoing call that was not to a toll-free number (I generally called out on my iPhone). I ported my old landline number because I'd had it since 1980. The contract with Sprint will be up soon. If I can figure out how to move that number to Google Voice, I will and drop Sprint. I doubt cell service will ever be as clear and riliable as POTS has proven to be. "Can you hear me now" often is STILL a valid question.
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: Robert M
Date: May 05, 2017 12:46PM
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Testcase,
Exactly. People who have just cell phones are SOL. I can vouch for it. That's what happened to many people after Hurricane Sandy. Cell coverage was spotty at best when it corked and for many people, they had nothing. Same goes for people who had VOIP services like Vonage which relied on Internet access. Those who had service with Cablevision lost their phones even when power was restored. People like me, who had FIOS still had service as long as we had power or juice from battery backup systems.
I've since moved my phone service to Google Voice and use it in conjunciton with an Obihai box. So, my line rings on plain ol' phones at home _and_ simultaneously on my cell phone. The total cost was very low up front and I haven't paid a dime for "landline" phone service since making the switch. I don't count the costs of cell service because I'd be paying for that whether or not I had my line with Google Voice.
Robert
Exactly. People who have just cell phones are SOL. I can vouch for it. That's what happened to many people after Hurricane Sandy. Cell coverage was spotty at best when it corked and for many people, they had nothing. Same goes for people who had VOIP services like Vonage which relied on Internet access. Those who had service with Cablevision lost their phones even when power was restored. People like me, who had FIOS still had service as long as we had power or juice from battery backup systems.
I've since moved my phone service to Google Voice and use it in conjunciton with an Obihai box. So, my line rings on plain ol' phones at home _and_ simultaneously on my cell phone. The total cost was very low up front and I haven't paid a dime for "landline" phone service since making the switch. I don't count the costs of cell service because I'd be paying for that whether or not I had my line with Google Voice.
Robert
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: Acer
Date: May 05, 2017 12:47PM
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: wurm
Date: May 05, 2017 12:54PM
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For the most part, a "land line" isn't really a land line anymore anyway. I doubt you could get copper wire service in your home even if you wanted to pay for it.
I moved my home number to Google Voice via Obihai a few months ago and am very pleased with it. But I also realize that if we lose power, we lose phone service. I'm okay with that.
I moved my home number to Google Voice via Obihai a few months ago and am very pleased with it. But I also realize that if we lose power, we lose phone service. I'm okay with that.
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: Robert M
Date: May 05, 2017 01:04PM
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Wurm,
Losing power doesn't necessarily equate losing phone service. Unless it's an area-wide outage that affects more than just your home, using a battery backup for your FIOS modem and Obihai box will prevent loss of phone service. The ONT has a battery in it but from what I understand, it's only for phone service. Not sure what will happen to Internet service in the event of an outage.
Robert
Losing power doesn't necessarily equate losing phone service. Unless it's an area-wide outage that affects more than just your home, using a battery backup for your FIOS modem and Obihai box will prevent loss of phone service. The ONT has a battery in it but from what I understand, it's only for phone service. Not sure what will happen to Internet service in the event of an outage.
Robert
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: JoeH
Date: May 05, 2017 02:06PM
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But only until your battery runs out. The phone company has much greater battery and other backup power for its copper network, typically they can or could run for weeks. That may have changed in some areas due to cutting back on such resources by the local telco.
Actually for these type of statistics it is. Might have fiber substituted in places for some of the trunk lines, but still a land line with copper to the house. These statistics separate out cable VOIP and similar service from what is considered a "land line".
Quote
For the most part, a "land line" isn't really a land line anymore anyway.
Actually for these type of statistics it is. Might have fiber substituted in places for some of the trunk lines, but still a land line with copper to the house. These statistics separate out cable VOIP and similar service from what is considered a "land line".
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: Don C
Date: May 05, 2017 03:29PM
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When we bought this very old house last summer we had it completely rewired, including pulling all of the ad hoc phone wiring (some of it running up the outside of the house and then through window sills to a four pronged outlet box). Wife wanted to get to use her rotary phones, so we rewired a couple of lines and have two phones working. Line is noisy and only her daughter calls on that number, so when those phones ring it's almost like caller ID.
The installer told us that copper lines would be going away "one of these days" but we'll enjoy having them in the meantime.
And, yes, it is awfully expensive for the little use we get, but it makes the mama happy, which makes it not so expensive after all.
The installer told us that copper lines would be going away "one of these days" but we'll enjoy having them in the meantime.
And, yes, it is awfully expensive for the little use we get, but it makes the mama happy, which makes it not so expensive after all.
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: NewtonMP2100
Date: May 05, 2017 03:31PM
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: Rick-o
Date: May 05, 2017 04:11PM
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We still have a POTS here with a classic phone out in the garage. The cordless jobs inside will not function during a power outage, but the classic job in the garage works great.
I've thought about eliminating the POTS, but it's not a simple matter here. I would have to alter the sign on my mini storage biz, change all my business cards and stationary. Plus, the cell service has been spotty out here in the frontier, (but has steadily gotten better). Not to mention elderly family members that absolutely won't call me on the mobile phone.
Mr. Lahey: A lot of people, don’t know how to drink. They drink against the grain of the liquor. And when you drink against the grain of the liquor? You lose.
Randy: What the @#$%& are you talking about?
I've thought about eliminating the POTS, but it's not a simple matter here. I would have to alter the sign on my mini storage biz, change all my business cards and stationary. Plus, the cell service has been spotty out here in the frontier, (but has steadily gotten better). Not to mention elderly family members that absolutely won't call me on the mobile phone.
Mr. Lahey: A lot of people, don’t know how to drink. They drink against the grain of the liquor. And when you drink against the grain of the liquor? You lose.
Randy: What the @#$%& are you talking about?
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: sekker
Date: May 05, 2017 06:03PM
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: Robert M
Date: May 05, 2017 06:07PM
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Rick,
Cordless phones will work during a power outage if you've protected the main base with a battery backup. I can vouch for it. I've protected my networking hardware (FIOS Modem/router, Obihai box, and cordless phone main base) with an appropriately sized UPS. I'll have access to the Internet and use of my phones for hours during an outage. I highly recommend anyone who has a VOIP style phone setup do the same. It makes all the difference. 'course, the battery backups can be used to charge cell phones, too.
Robert
Cordless phones will work during a power outage if you've protected the main base with a battery backup. I can vouch for it. I've protected my networking hardware (FIOS Modem/router, Obihai box, and cordless phone main base) with an appropriately sized UPS. I'll have access to the Internet and use of my phones for hours during an outage. I highly recommend anyone who has a VOIP style phone setup do the same. It makes all the difference. 'course, the battery backups can be used to charge cell phones, too.
Robert
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: graylocks
Date: May 05, 2017 06:47PM
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i noticed a few days ago that my ooma service is now a little over $5 a month. the new school me has VOIP and a cell phone. the old school me clings to this faux landline that i never call out on and never answer when it rings as it's only ever telemarketers. i need to drop this thing that won't really help me in a major disaster since ooma is internet dependent.
and i too have anker power banks scattered about the house.
If you want to fix our country, work with us in the states. statesproject.org
"Success isn't about how much money you make. It is about the difference you make in people's lives."--Michelle Obama
and i too have anker power banks scattered about the house.
If you want to fix our country, work with us in the states. statesproject.org
"Success isn't about how much money you make. It is about the difference you make in people's lives."--Michelle Obama
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: Bimwad
Date: May 05, 2017 08:15PM
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Coincidentally, I just received an offer from AT&T to "upgrade" to VoIP for $10/mo, locked rate, as part of a bundle.
They really want to free themselves of the legal/market constraints of POTS, and much of the copper infrastructure (though not all, it's still only FTTN around here).
They really want to free themselves of the legal/market constraints of POTS, and much of the copper infrastructure (though not all, it's still only FTTN around here).
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: jdc
Date: May 05, 2017 10:35PM
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: space-time
Date: May 06, 2017 04:38PM
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: JoeH
Date: May 06, 2017 05:20PM
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Last major power outage here power was out, cable was out, so no VOIP for their subscribers, and Verizon copper lines were the only ones still up. A substantial number of the cell towers ran out of backup power before power was restored, my son could not use his iPhone in a number of areas around town. I could still even use my DSL connection, but reserved the UPS for other devices.
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: Rick-o
Date: May 06, 2017 05:34PM
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Quote
Robert M
Rick,
Cordless phones will work during a power outage if you've protected the main base with a battery backup. I can vouch for it. I've protected my networking hardware (FIOS Modem/router, Obihai box, and cordless phone main base) with an appropriately sized UPS. I'll have access to the Internet and use of my phones for hours during an outage. I highly recommend anyone who has a VOIP style phone setup do the same. It makes all the difference. 'course, the battery backups can be used to charge cell phones, too.
Robert
Good points Robert. I've thought about implementing such a system, but we usually only lose power for a short time, and maybe once per year, if that. I have decided that the garage phone is more than enough for our needs and keeping connected to the 'net really isn't an issue for us. One less thing to maintain and all that jazz.
Mr. Lahey: A lot of people, don’t know how to drink. They drink against the grain of the liquor. And when you drink against the grain of the liquor? You lose.
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: AllGold
Date: May 07, 2017 06:54PM
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Quote
Acer
When I switched to FiOS, the copper was cut anyway. So, I cut the Verizon landline and went VOiP with naked FiOS (no TV) internet. Copper's days are numbered, even if it is in certain important ways superior.
When I switched to AT&T U-Verse, my landline phone was no longer POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) over copper. But the irony is U-Verse in most places is not fiber to the home, so all my services--TV, internet and VOIP phone--run over the old existing AT&T copper "phone" line. (U-Verse is fiber to a big box that is a "remote terminal" spaced out every third of a mile or so then using existing copper lines to the home. It was cheaper to implement but the copper lines don't support the higher 100+ megabit speeds of Verizon's fiber to the home.)
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: testcase
Date: May 07, 2017 07:18PM
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"I doubt you could get copper wire service in your home even if you wanted to pay for it. "
Maybe not. PUCs (Public Utility Commissions) are glacially slow in enacting and changing their rules. These rules are what the "players" (service providers) MUST follow. I know someone who had a vacation cabin in NY up near the Canadian border. He found out that PUC rules REQUIRED the phone company to provide POTS to any customer in NY who requested it. His cabin was at least five miles from the nearest possible point service could be tapped off from. The local phone company HAD to install poles and wire to get him the PUC mandated service (which he uses a couple of months a year). Once he has a POTS copper landline, he was able to get dial up internet (yes, Dial Up STILL exists). He should be able to get cable service too if he requested it. Interesting what can be achieved if you know the law.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/2017 07:20PM by testcase.
Maybe not. PUCs (Public Utility Commissions) are glacially slow in enacting and changing their rules. These rules are what the "players" (service providers) MUST follow. I know someone who had a vacation cabin in NY up near the Canadian border. He found out that PUC rules REQUIRED the phone company to provide POTS to any customer in NY who requested it. His cabin was at least five miles from the nearest possible point service could be tapped off from. The local phone company HAD to install poles and wire to get him the PUC mandated service (which he uses a couple of months a year). Once he has a POTS copper landline, he was able to get dial up internet (yes, Dial Up STILL exists). He should be able to get cable service too if he requested it. Interesting what can be achieved if you know the law.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/2017 07:20PM by testcase.
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Re: Land Ho?!.....landline phones disappearing as most homes have ditched them....
Posted by: JoeH
Date: May 07, 2017 08:21PM
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Cable is less likely. Almost all arrangements for cable being run has bee that the provider had to have it available anywhere in a town that had at least some set number of potential customers per mile of roadway. I doubt that would apply to a cabin 5 miles from the nearest possible point of connection.
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