BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN | They never change
For those to young to remember before the 80's you actually HAD to purcahse your phone from the phone company. And believe me they were a lot more than the $10 you can get from wal-mart and they were rotary dial. |
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shoan
join:2006-02-27
Benton, AR
| I was thinking the same thing. I really do believe that unlocking the phones would spur more companies to make cell phones and what not. If they saw they could make a cool phone and throw it on the shelves of walmart they could get a slice of the pie. |
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n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY
 ·Optimum Online
1 edit | reply to BF69
said by BF69  :For those to young to remember before the 80's you actually HAD to purcahse your phone from the phone company. And believe me they were a lot more than the $10 you can get from wal-mart and they were rotary dial. Actually you had to rent it from Ma Bell, no purchasing. Having an extra phone that the phone company did not know about could get you in big trouble with the "Phone Cops" (tribute to WKRP in Cincinnati). The phone company would often perform impedance and ringer current checks to see if there were more phones on the line than you were supposed to have. My parents had two rental phones and a third unauthorized one. Any time we needed a service call I always remember them unplugging that third phone and hiding it in a closet. Things finally started to lighten up around 1977-1978 when we were finally allowed to provide our own wiring (COPW - Customer Owned Premises Wiring) and connect additional phones. The only requirement then was that you had to tell them you were connecting additional phones and what the RE (Ringer Equivalence) number was.
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I support the right to keep and arm bears. |
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nozzer
join:2004-06-25
Waltham, MA | reply to shoan
Er, there are just PLENTY of companies making cellphones. Its just the USA thats on a different planet to the rest of the world on this issue, and about 5-10 years behind |
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Mactron
el camino Real
Premium
join:2001-12-16
CM94sv
| reply to n2jtx
said by n2jtx :Actually you had to rent it from Ma Bell, no purchasing. ... Things finally started to lighten up around 1977-1978 when we were finally allowed to provide our own wiring (COPW - Customer Owned Premises Wiring) and connect additional phones. The only requirement then was that you had to tell them you were connecting additional phones and what the RI (Ringer Equivalence) number was. The same thing is needed with wireless today. Wireless Telcos provided the service, we the customer, decided on the equipment of OUR Choice. I sure hope this comes to pass on 700 Mhz and spreads like wildfire across all the wireless spectrum in the US... Hopefully the FCC won't cave to Verizon... Again. 
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If only the Verizon CSRs worked this well.  |
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en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | reply to nozzer
I agree... I think Europeans don't subsidize or tie their phones in, and some countries forbid phone locking. |
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batterup
I Can Not Tell A Lie.
Premium
join:2003-02-06
Netcong, NJ
clubs:
 ·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to BF69
said by BF69 :For those to young to remember before the 80's you actually HAD to purcahse your phone from the phone company. And believe me they were a lot more than the $10 you can get from wal-mart and they were rotary dial. TPC never sold phones, they rented them. Bell System Property Not For Sale.
Of course if you have a frayed cord the telephone man came out and replaced it , NO CHARGE. That was a time when everyone no matter where they lived could have a phone at a price set by the government. |
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