VoIP Questioned

87C751 writes "C|Net is carrying a very FUDdy story on the downside of VoIP telephony. Alongside the reasonable point of 911 dialing being unavailable during service and power outages, the writeup mentions broadband over power lines as a possible solution to the power failure problem. (talk about your cognitive dissonance!) It also notes that VoIP customers may not be listed in the local phone book, causing problems with "major fast food companies" (do they mean pizza deliveries?), and that Tivo requires a POTS line for initial setup (which sounds like Tivo's problem, not VoIP's)."

The problem

[Anonymous Coward]

Was that they did their interviews using a VoIP handset, and couldn't make out some of the answers.

Re: VoIP Questioned

[Scoria]

It also notes that VoIP customers may not be listed in the local phone book, causing problems with "major fast food companies"

That's horrible! Are you implying that some telemarketers won't be capable of easily obtaining my telephone number, and the local telephone company won't be capable of charging me to opt-out of the directory?

What a shame! ;-)

Re:911

[Jardine]

It's not clear what sort of emergency would knock out cell phone 911 yet leave the authorities unaware, however.

Fire in the cell tower?

Re:Dominos pizza insisted I have a land line

[hoggoth]

> Pizza Hut wouldn't deliver without a landline
> Coincidentally, this Pizza Hut is out of business

"Coincidentally"?
I do not think that word means what you think it means.

Re:Other DVRs work

[Cruciform]

TiVo: What are you doing Dave?

Dave: I'm trying to order pizza.

TiVo: I can't let you do that, Dave.

Dave: Why not?

*knock knock knock*

Delivery guy: Pizza delivery for Dave!

Tivo: (red LED glows menacingly) Dave's not here, man.

Dave: ???

Re:911

[Anonymous Coward]

God help anyone who had an actual emergency during the blackout.

Precisely, you don't need any of these fancy new 911 setups, just get God to help you. A short prayer to God requires no electricity, no phone lines, no equipment (other than perhaps a rosary). You just need to go to church regularly.

-hadohk