Submission + - The Dismantling of POTS: bold move or grave error? 2
TheRealHocusLocus writes: The FCC is drafting rules to formalize the process of transition of "last-mile" subscriber circuits to digital IP-based data streams. The move is lauded by AT&T Chairman Tom Wheeler who claims that significant resources are spent to maintain 'legacy' POTS service, though some 100 million still use it. POTS, or 'Plain Old Telephone Service' is the analog standard that allows the use of simple unpowered phone devices on the wire, with the phone company supplying ring and talk voltage. I cannot fault progress, in fact I'm part of the problem: I gave up my dial tone a couple years ago because I needed cell and could not afford to keep both. But what concerns me is, are we poised to dismantle systems that are capable of standing alone to keep communities and regions 'in-touch' with each other, in favor of systems that rely on centralized (and distant) points of failure? Despite its analog limitations POTS switches have enforced the use of hard-coded local exchanges and equipment that will faithfully complete local calls even if its network connections are down. But do these IP phones deliver the same promise? For that matter, is any single local cell tower isolated from its parent network of use to anyone at all? I have had a difficult time finding answers to this question, and would love savvy /. folks to weigh in: In a disaster that isolates the community from outside or partitions the country's connectivity — aside from local Plain Old Telephone Service, how many IP and cell phones would continue to function? Are we setting ourselves up for a 'fail'?
Its the right thing to do (Score:1)
1 - The internet is far more important than a phone line today
2 - The core / backbone of the telcos are packet base and transport voice using voip like protocols for a long while, newer telcos already have a 100% voip network internally, delivering the phone line on top of a combined internet+voice single (converged) is a reality
3 - The more remote a community is the more it would make sense to connect the community to the closest city with a fiber backbone presence via unlicensed 5GHz back haul radios rath
Re: (Score:1)
In the county where I live, there are large areas with no radio or cell reception. Law enforcement and emergency services must find someone's house and make a landline call to keep in touch with County Dispatch in those areas. Even the county seat has no radio reception and only has cell coverage because Homeland Security forced them to install a tower.
Our telco has installed fibre in the official communities and is slowly expanding, but when we lose power (which happens at least 2-3 times a year, someti