WSJ: Prepare To Hang Up the Phone — Forever

[DEAD7]

retroworks writes: "Telecom giants AT&T and Verizon Communications are lobbying states, one by one, to hang up the plain, old telephone system, what the industry now calls POTS — the copper-wired landline phone system whose reliability and reach made the U.S. a communications powerhouse for more than 100 years. Is landline obsolete, and should be immune from grandparents-era social protection? The article continues, 'Last week, Michigan joined more than 30 other states that have passed or are considering laws that restrict state-government oversight and eliminate "carrier of last resort" mandates, effectively ending the universal-service guarantee that gives every U.S. resident access to local-exchange wireline telephone service, the POTS. (There are no federal regulations guaranteeing Internet access.) ... In Mantoloking, N.J., Verizon wants to replace the landline system, which Hurricane Sandy wiped out, with its wireless Voice Link. That would make it the first entire town to go landline-less, a move that isn't sitting well with all residents."

 

[End Cruelty]

This sounds like a terrible idea. At the risk of sounding a little bit like I'm wearing a tinfoil hat, are the powers that be so desperate to control the web that they're trying to get rid of the land lines and monopolize the mail? I doubt it but I have to wonder.

Realistically, who does it benefit to get rid of this form of communication? And what about old folks or people in more rural areas? Let's give it a little bit more time. That's all I'm really saying. People could get carried away with this very quickly. A hurricane can knock down some wires but what about a scenario that takes out a tower or causes the wrong satellite to burn up? We'd be right back to smoke signals at that point.

 

[Vandelay]

I don't have a landline, but I think it's dumb to do away with them for multiple reasons from practical to tinfoil...

However, if they could reinvest it to make the cell network comparable to South Korea....

 

[Ed MOTHEREFFING G]

do they have plans to use that infastructure for digital and broadband communication or just scrap it?

 

[ill]

This sounds like a terrible idea. At the risk of sounding a little bit like I'm wearing a tinfoil hat, are the powers that be so desperate to control the web that they're trying to get rid of the land lines and monopolize the mail? I doubt it but I have to wonder.

Realistically, who does it benefit to get rid of this form of communication? And what about old folks or people in more rural areas? Let's give it a little bit more time. That's all I'm really saying. People could get carried away with this very quickly. A hurricane can knock down some wires but what about a scenario that takes out a tower or causes the wrong satellite to burn up? We'd be right back to smoke signals at that point.

The phone lines have been tapped and under their control for decades. I think hard lines should stay as they are used as emergency lines.

 

[End Cruelty]

The phone lines have been tapped and under their control for decades. I think hard lines should stay as they are used as emergency lines.

I would have to agree. Pardob that slippery slope. Red bull had me getting carried away.

 

[Wargames]

The phone lines have been tapped and under their control for decades. I think hard lines should stay as they are used as emergency lines.

yep communication shouldn't rely on satellites only, its a recipe for disaster anyone with some common sense and foresight would know is a bad idea. Those companies probably have some scheme to charge people more for cell phones once the landlines are removed...... its crazy how greed will lead people to doing so much stupid stuff in life