Article

2013-11-30 Economy

U.S. Eyes Phase-Out of Old Telephone Network

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Posted by Fred 2013-11-30 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11129 views ] Top

#1 Waitaminit! Prezadint Obumbles should jump on this to revive jobs just like the Golden State Corridor Choo-Choo!
Back to the future, baby! Re-do the 19th century!

Posted by AlmostAnonymous5839 2013-11-30 06:26|| 2013-11-30 06:26|| Front Page Top

#2 OK, There are approximately 250 Million Americans over the age of 18 living in the USA in 2012.

Roughly 100 million Americans who remain reliant on the dated but still-functional system of copper wires and switching stations.

So little do they know, it means about 40% of the public uses copper wire and outdated switching systems.

But if I make a call on my cell to a person who uses the Copper System, am I not using that system too ?

Also there is this report:

Surprise! Your high-tech home phone system could go dead in an emergency

Fiber and VoIP systems are vulnerable to power outages.

Am I missing something here or is this a "flim flam" ?

Posted by Au Auric 2013-11-30 09:16|| 2013-11-30 09:16|| Front Page Top

#3 ...see Crony Capitalism. Got to cut back on competition.

Posted by Procopius2k 2013-11-30 09:42|| 2013-11-30 09:42|| Front Page Top

#4 P2k, that'd be my fear. AT&T all over again.

Posted by Abu Uluque 2013-11-30 11:44|| 2013-11-30 11:44|| Front Page Top

#5 Of course the govt thinks folks should switch to cell service. A call made on hardwired copper requires a wiretap warrant, whereas cell com is radio and freely intercepted. By anyone with the right radio gear; the local police have several 'cell follower' units that they use in trailing suspects, usually drug types, but if they're not busy, basically anyone.

Posted by ed in texas 2013-11-30 13:11|| 2013-11-30 13:11|| Front Page Top

#6 Tex, True. A pickup was driving too slow on a city street one day for quite a few blocks when someone in the line of cars behind the pickup pulled in front of the pickup and just sat there blocking it while everyone went around it. Cop cars came in and informed the driver doing the blocking maneuver that the pickup had two undercover police who were tracking a drug dealer suspect in a vehicle one block over on a parallel street, clearly by homing in on his cell phone signal one street over. No warrant required I betcha.

Posted by Guillibaldo McCoy1948 2013-11-30 13:19|| 2013-11-30 13:19|| Front Page Top

#7 It will be a while before they replace the last mile or three of copper up here in Cowhampshire.

Posted by KBK 2013-11-30 19:47|| 2013-11-30 19:47|| Front Page Top

#8 How good of an idea is it?

Remember when the lights went out at the Super Bowl? The only way they could contact NFL HQ was via their land-line.

I think Ed nails it.

Posted by mossomo 2013-11-30 19:59|| 2013-11-30 19:59|| Front Page Top

23:59 raise up
23:01 RandomJD
22:39 Thing From Snowy Mountain
22:36 Thing From Snowy Mountain
22:15 Pappy
22:08 Uncle Phester
20:43 KBK
20:40 Barbara
20:37 mossomo
20:32 mossomo
20:32 Barbara
20:29 Barbara
20:16 Uncle Phester
20:14 Uncle Phester
20:12 mossomo
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19:53 Frank G
19:47 KBK
19:46 mossomo
19:42 49 Pan
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19:32 Frank G