 
Flagger
Premium
join:2001-08-10
Weimville | As the recent power outages have demonstrated It does no good to have VoIP or mobile service when the relays are powerless. Nothing like good ole reliable landlines to get essential and non-essential phone calls in or out. | |
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Tomek
Premium
join:2002-01-30
Brooklyn, NY
 ·Packet8
| Re: As the recent power outages have demonstrated Might, if reliability improves.
When power was down, I couldn't call, because all my phones were wireless. So in summary You are telling that we should return to rotary phones (survive blackout), ditch cars and use horses (OPEC may cut fuel).
There are always problems, if reliability improves I might consider getting service, but not replacing it just yet.
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The Truth is out there | |
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ropeguru
Premium
join:2001-01-25
Bridgeport, WV
clubs:
·VOIPo
| Re: As the recent power outages have demonstrated Since when do you have to return to rotary phones. I think you are going a little overboard here. All he was trying to say is that a good ole POTS line is always up even when power is out. SInce the bell provides the power, from battery or generator, then you need not worry.
Last time I checked the good ole touch tone still worked when the power was out.
And this is a poll about telephone service. Not cars!!! Too many people like you take things way too far!!! | |
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Tomek
Premium
join:2002-01-30
Brooklyn, NY
·Packet8
| Re: As the recent power outages have demonstrated I am just saying that we must move forward.
When newer types of communication arrive, we must adapt them.
VoIP is a good example. However, it's still in infancy and needs to develop some better reliability. Time will tell.
Of course now nobody will completely move to this new "invention", but in 5 years (maybe more) VoIP will be the future of voice communication.
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The Truth is out there | |
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rklein
God Among Hogs
join:2001-01-18
Worcester, MA
| Re: As the recent power outages have demonstrated said by Tomek  :
I am just saying that we must move forward.
When newer types of communication arrive, we must adapt them.
Um... Why? Have you ever heard the saying "If it ain't broke don't fix it?" It's great to have more options, but you're saying that just because VoIP is available I *must* adopt it. I've had no problems with my POTS and have no plans to switch.
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Tomek
Premium
join:2002-01-30
Brooklyn, NY
·Packet8
| Re: As the recent power outages have demonstrated Of course not now. But what if the pricing drop and quality improves? Right now I "like" my POTS. It may be a future of global communication. I never said that we must adopt it now. Did You buy DVD when it first come out? or Do You already have HDTV compatible TV? Give it some time to develop.
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The Truth is out there | |
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sbrook
Premium,Mod
join:2001-12-14
H0H 0H0
 ·Rogers Hi-Speed
Host:
Rogers
Bell Canada
| Re: As the recent power outages have demonstrated VoIP is as useless as when the power goes out. Unless you've got a battery operated VoIP telephone, and even that will run out of power in time.
The standard telephone network is designed to soldier on in a no power scenario for a LONG time with batteries and generating charging sets in most exchanges (COs). That's part of their service and their extreme reliability.
Heck, there's no guarantee to move packets over the network from point a to point b today, so the technology has a LONG way to go ... a terribly long way to go. You can't hold a conversation reliably when the path between you keeps losing packets.
Heck, with the viruses out there today, on the internet, we keep losing connections.
We have a perfectly good private, well secured, network that is not trying to massively share space with every other possible digital use.
VoIP is a useful adjunct to ... but not a replacement for the conventional phone service. | |
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Tomek
Premium
join:2002-01-30
Brooklyn, NY | Re: As the recent power outages have demonstrated I mostly agree with You. VoIP maybe the answer but not today.
During blackout all my phones were wireless = dead. I was too lazy to look for standard phone, so I used cell phone.
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The Truth is out there | |
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sbrook
Premium,Mod
join:2001-12-14
H0H 0H0
·Rogers Hi-Speed
Host:
Rogers
Bell Canada
| Re: As the recent power outages have demonstrated Up in Ontario, most of the cell towers went out too because the battery backup is so limited, especially on the "out of town" towers. So, Cellphones were useless too.
Internet comes from Rogers for us ... the repeaters and nodes all have very limited battery life. For those who had battery TV, they all went out in about 20 minutes! Internet dropped instantly. VoIP was as useless as [insert favourite useless comparison here]
I think cell and VoIP are useful adjuncts to the land line phone service, but in terms of replacing it ... nope ... there'll be other technologies first.
I can see fibre in the home with a box splitting off internet, TV and phone (gotta give that box a UPS), and split off in a data exchange to a separate telephone network. I think the phone network must remain private to remain safe and secure. | |
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rklein
God Among Hogs
join:2001-01-18
Worcester, MA | Okay, so you didn't say *now*. But when the technology matures everyone "must adapt?" My problem with VoIP isn't it's reliability or lack thereof; it's just that it's a solution to a problem I don't have.
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sbrook
Premium,Mod
join:2001-12-14
H0H 0H0 | Re: As the recent power outages have demonstrated And it will create problems of its own. The telephone network is currently largely independent and secure. As soon as you start sending it over a common carrier, then security goes down the toilet. | |
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louist
And So It Goes
Premium
join:2001-12-01
Oakland Gardens, NY
 ·Verizon FIOS
| Some, but not all, of our touch tone phones continued to work during the blackout. Our cable service was totally down, as were our cell phone accounts.
I don't favor having all of my communications on a single point of failure. (YUP got one of those old rotary phones back in the closet, but didn't need it).
The economics may eventually make it almost imperative to go all over IP, but not just yet.
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regards,
Lou
[text was edited by author 2003-09-03 18:44:40] | |
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bluesun
join:2003-08-14
Hughson, CA | If you had a choice of fiber optics, for communications would you rather use that? | |
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Andyg1
Will Work For Bandwidth
join:2001-12-23
New Rochelle, NY
·Optimum Online
| Your 100% right that's the one thing the old Trimline has on all other forms of communication as most of us here in the Northeast experienced this summer.
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At the tone the time will be... | |
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| Thrashor
Thrashor
join:2001-12-19
Welland, ON | Nope, I'll never get rid of mine! Although I use a cordless phone, I still have a "old" wired phone in the closet - and I was glad to have during the power blackout! | |
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anderan
join:2003-03-29
Norway | Did it a long time ago Between my cellphone and my ADSL, there's not much need for a land line. | |
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Dei Gratia
@cable.rogers | Re: Did it a long time ago Precisely cell and hispeed have given me all that I need except some government calls, how to avoid waiting on the phone forever!!
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laughter is aerobics for the intestine......"R.D." | |
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| 2farfromCO7
join:2000-10-14
Farmington, MI
| How did you get an ADSL line without a standard POTs line in the first place? Pushing, discounting, AND ACTUALLY DEPLOYING DSL is the best way the RBOCs can defend against the cable/VOIP combo. They need to make the DBS/DSL/POTs bundle less than cable/cablemodem/VOIP, AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE. | |
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| | anderan
join:2003-03-29
Norway
| Re: Did it a long time ago I recently bought an apartment off an owner who used to have ISDN. My ADSL provider (which doesn't provide POTS) just used this copper, without me having to become a customer of the "bell" which installed it. I guess some of Norway's telecom legislation actually works in favour of the consumer. | |
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3SGTE
ST215W
Premium,MVM
join:2000-11-23
there
clubs:
| How about a NO option? As the title states.
Never implies Never.
I am not waiting for reliability to improve, I have little idea of what equipment I am waiting for improvements on.
Simple answer for poll is = No.
EDIT: refers primarily to VOIP option
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Don't Feed the Trolls----
Click 'Hey mods' instead!
[text was edited by author 2003-09-01 13:44:04] | |
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MacGyver
Bell Sucks
Premium,ExMod 2003-05
join:2001-10-14
Orleans, ON | What about my DSL? This site is called DSL Reports, so how could I have my DSL if I don't have a land line?
Long distance rates on wireless carriers would put me into bankruptcy anyway. | |
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| anderan
join:2003-03-29
Norway |  Re: What about my DSL?
The wire runs through my wall, but there are no phones connected to it. | |
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MacGyver
Bell Sucks
Premium,ExMod 2003-05
join:2001-10-14
Orleans, ON | Re: What about my DSL? In Canada, you cannot provision DSL on a dry pair (phone line with no dialtone). Maybe this poll should be Canaidan exempt!   | |
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rchandra
Stargate S G-1 And Atlantis Fan
Premium
join:2000-11-09
14225-2105
clubs:
| said by MacGyver :
This site is called DSL Reports
Well, sort of. It's now Broadband Reports. It just so happens the DSLR domain works too.
said by MacGyver :
, so how could I have my DSL if I don't have a land line?
here's the deal: It's almost imperative (for my job) that I have a separate line for the "good ole" dialup modem. While everything works better than 99% of the time, there's always a serviceperson clod (including myself at some times) that'll yank the power transformer for a DSU or a router or something, so I need to dial in to diagnose what's what. So in my particular case, I have to have a "hard line" for that. I also need to have a voice line for talking with others while I do that modem dialing. Presently, that's also a hard line, but since DSL is on the data-and-fax-only line, I'm thinking of dropping one of Verizon's overpriced lines in favor of one that costs about the same or maybe a little more (Vonage), but for the price offers a LOT more features (such as one monthly fee for unlimited nationwide dialing, all the calling number delivery, three way, etc. features). Neither can I justify the expense of wireless service. So in my plan, the data/fax line also would cover emergency calls, with its 6 or so nines (%) of uptime.
Perhaps I'm in a fairly unique category though.
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English is a difficult enough language to interpret correctly when its rules are followed, let alone when a writer chooses not to follow those rules. Blog is here | |
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vic102482
Premium
join:2002-04-30
Upper Marlboro, MD | Vonage! I have vonage and comcrap!:) | |
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jabbawest
Orbis Hirsutis
Premium
join:2001-11-06
Wylie, TX
| How sweet it would be but it's..... Kinda hard to get rid of land line service when Directv and other providers require you to have a phone connection so the box can call home with your recent PPV purchases or so you can activate a new box or access card.
I seriously thought about it though.
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Computer Cops | American Border Patrol | |
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leXicon5
Pelosi, SHUT YOUR Fing Pie Hole
Premium
join:2000-12-27
Saint Louis, MO
| Re: How sweet it would be but it's..... ...how would I be able to connect via DSL if my landline were gone? I don't know that you can have DSL service without POTS.
And actually, it's not DLSReports anymore....it's BroadbandReports now.
I guess if ya hafta, use the cell phone as the modem for DirecTV purchases and the like
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"M$ is to OSes what AOL is to Internet Access" - leXicon5 Old SoundMan | |
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join:2000-10-14
Farmington, MI | Re: How sweet it would be but it's..... Well, SDSL is way more expensive and by itself removes any of the saving you get from removing the POTs line. | |
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Lurch77
Stop looking at me.
Premium
join:2001-11-22
+44.88-87.89
| I have never hooked the phone line to my Dish Network box. We rarely rent the PPV's, and when we do, we just call in our order, or place it online at their website.
But the land line is kind of essential in my house anyway, as I have DSL, and they require you to have a phone line. | |
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wozster
Premium
join:2000-10-21
Lenexa, KS | Already have I've been without a land-line for the last 2 years!
Excellent cell phone plan + Road Runner = no home phone needed.
VOIP had nothing to do with it though.
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Protect online free speech | |
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| NunyaBidness
God Bless All Of Us
Premium
join:2001-05-25
Memphis, TN
| Re: Already have said by wozster :
I've been without a land-line for the last 2 years!
Excellent cell phone plan + Road Runner = no home phone needed.
VOIP had nothing to do with it though.
emphasis added
almost same amount of time to
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Nunya Bidness | |
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p0w3r
join:2003-04-09
NYC | No, I would not remove my home phone line since no matter how reliable my cell phone starts to become, a home phone is still kinda needed. Like for your credit card companies, and out of the country long distance phone calls. | |
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| DonLibes
Premium,ExMod 2001
join:2003-01-19
| Re: No, said by p0w3r :
I would not remove my home phone line since no matter how reliable my cell phone starts to become, a home phone is still kinda needed. Like for your credit card companies...
Not true. I enable new cards through my cell phone just fine. The credit companies don't seem the last bit disturbed that it's not my home phone (now disconnected). | |
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AmeritecTech
Change we can believe in, 1922
Premium
join:2002-09-06
Houston, TX
| Re: No, said by DonLibes :
said by p0w3r :
I would not remove my home phone line since no matter how reliable my cell phone starts to become, a home phone is still kinda needed. Like for your credit card companies...
Not true. I enable new cards through my cell phone just fine. The credit companies don't seem the last bit disturbed that it's not my home phone (now disconnected).
He is right, there are several instances which require a true home phone line. A car loan is a good example. Vonage would work fine for this, of course. | |
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oliphant5
Got Identity?
Premium
join:2003-05-24
Corona, CA
| I've had no problems activating cards, getting TiVo updates and guide info (before I put them on my network) or even running my alarm system (which also has cell backup) with my Vonage service.
There is simply no need (unless you're a DSL user) to have landlines anymore. Even with blackouts, I've had periodic blackouts but the UPS that I have my ATA and modem on worked just fine and is a necessity anyway since all my phones are cordless or require 110V. And sure it seems like a lot of trouble, but the money savings pays for all of it and then some. With 2 lines (one for voice, 1 for fax), voicemail, caller ID, getting out of the phonebook fees, taxes and junk fees, and long distance charges I routinely paid over $100/mo with Verizon...now my phone bill is never over $40 and have better reliability and call quality.
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Powered by Barry McKockenner Racing in association with Jack McKokkov Motorsports
[text was edited by author 2003-09-02 16:11:18] | |
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gdm
Premium,MVM
join:2001-06-15
Mchenry, IL
clubs: | People with DSL?? There should have been another option in the Poll for DSL users. Can't get rid of the phone line for people on DSL. Cable and Wireless people have no problem getting rid of it. | |
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NeO_JAW
Arsenal Are No1
Premium
join:2002-01-24
Surrey, UK
clubs:
| Re: People with DSL?? said by gdm :
There should have been another option in the Poll for DSL users.
Good point, cant even get wireless here yet, well not every where anyway, Maybe this is a sillly poll.
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I NeEd MeNtAl HeLp | |
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dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ
| Re: Home is Where the... It will soon have all the bs fee's and taxes and other crap that raise your landline bill around $15 or so so the point is moot. plus a wired phone has no delay issues.
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You can never be too rich, too thin or have too much Bandwidth | |
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| | DonLibes
Premium,ExMod 2001
join:2003-01-19
| Re: Home is Where the... said by dvd536 :
It will soon have all the bs fee's and taxes and other crap that raise your landline bill around $15 or so so the point is moot.
True, they are adding taxes to our cell phones in our jurisdiction. My solution was to find a jurisdiction with lower taxes for my cell phone. Can't do THAT with a landline! | |
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mdr5
Premium
join:2003-01-29
Somerset, NJ
| Ill hang on to VoiP as long as the fees and the other BS are nonexistant on it. Once that happens, I will return to my landline. Right now the only reason I use Voip is financial. I have no problems with it. In a power outage situation I have my cell phone (which my work pays for), so for $27 a month, I have all the calling power I need. In the rare instances that there are power outages its no major inconvenience.
Would I rely on it for business purposes? Probably not. My purposes yes. No problem there. In the event I have to dial 911 I can use my cell phone, or use the limited 911 capabilities my VoiP provides to me.
So, financially speaking, for the moment, VoiP is definitely the better choice. Hey, my cable modem is sitting there on all the time anyway, might as well be used for something else other then my computer (and server, and replayTV, and PS2) | |
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nirvansk815
Premium
join:2001-06-18
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
clubs: | Hey man, I agree 100%:) | |
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oliphant5
Got Identity?
Premium
join:2003-05-24
Corona, CA
| No Verizon is worth the so-called risk With UPS on my ATA and modem and with this outtage being a freak thing, no WAY I'm going to pay an extra few hundred dollars a year on the off chance that there is a power outtage.
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Powered by Barry McKockenner Racing in association with Jack McKokkov Motorsports | |
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jbgroup1
Dolemite
Premium
join:2000-05-04
Beltsville, MD | No landline (ILEC, CLEC) here. I have not had a landline for over two months. I am happy with my Vonage service so far. | |
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