AT&T looking to end copper landline phone service in California

[eljefino]

You can't force a business into a money losing deal forever

Well you can hold them up to an agreement they made, if they made it, which I'm not privy to.

Maybe they got to use eminent domain if they agreed to wire every house. Maybe they got the free bunkers I previously alluded to. The way out would be if they bought back what was given to them, or, if, as you say, they substitute an appropriate, reliable technology like external cellular/ satellite doohickeys.

The issue I have, is we as a people have lost the will to regulate cable/ internet companies as a utility. They still consider themselves a luxury convenience. When phone and power companies hit it big 100 years ago we demanded more of them, and that's an us problem-- ultimately we gave them both the power they're wielding.

 

[PandaBear]

Well you can hold them up to an agreement they made, if they made it, which I'm not privy to.

Maybe they got to use eminent domain if they agreed to wire every house. Maybe they got the free bunkers I previously alluded to. The way out would be if they bought back what was given to them, or, if, as you say, they substitute an appropriate, reliable technology like external cellular/ satellite doohickeys.

The issue I have, is we as a people have lost the will to regulate cable/ internet companies as a utility. They still consider themselves a luxury convenience. When phone and power companies hit it big 100 years ago we demanded more of them, and that's an us problem-- ultimately we gave them both the power they're wielding.

The monopoly was a problem for them up till cable internet becomes the standard and DSL wouldn't cut it anymore.

Now the big bad guy is the cable one. It is either Comcast in my area or DSL at low speed (but the same price), Starlink (if you can't have even Comcast), TMo / Verizon 5G (no better than Comcast but if you have wiring problem in your house that's an alternative).

They all used to charge ridiculous price until they have to compete, even government mandate them to share their network won't fix them (Comcast especially refuse to open up like ATT open up DSL to 3rd party). I'm so glad technology finally allows VOIP from other methods to replace landline now.

BTW PG&E do have some solar + battery storage grid in remote area, so they don't have to run a line through large rural area, and still charge their customers per kwh like they are on the actual grid. I think ATT can do the same by having satellite - landline conversion, or they can install a 5G tower near those area and move people to 5G (still need economy of scale to justify the cost so it is not practical in deep rural low density location).

 

[Exhaustgases]

The problem with all the new crap they want to use is, service goes out when the power goes out. That was never an issue in the old days, phone still worked when the power was out.

 

[Chris142]

We got rid of ours years ago. Our phone company refused to maintain the lines. Couldn't use the landline for all the static

 

[y_p_w]

The problem with all the new crap they want to use is, service goes out when the power goes out. That was never an issue in the old days, phone still worked when the power was out.

That's because the phone service provider was required to maintain power at the switching office and the phone is powered by the line. I remember my parents using our old phones to call in a power outage. That being said, I've had power outages where the cell phones still work. Many of the cellular nodes have battery backup, and if they don't work it can just find another one.

 

[vavavroom]

Despite all the high-tech technology, a landline yields clearer and superior sound quality. Plus a landline will work during a power outage. It's not going to be pretty when a big quake hits and millions of people overburden the cellular network. No, I no longer use a landline and enjoy living on the dystopian edge.

 

[y_p_w]

Despite all the high-tech technology, a landline yields clearer and superior sound quality. Plus a landline will work during a power outage. It's not going to be pretty when a big quake hits and millions of people overburden the cellular network. No, I no longer use a landline and enjoy living on the dystopian edge.

Dynamic range is poor, and I've experienced some really bad lines. Then only reason why "plain old telephone service" works in a power outage is because of battery backups, and I've found cell phone service still working - likely because of battery backup. If there's a power outage at the switching office, it would depend on the size of the battery backup and the number of lines it's supporting.

I've been on Zoom calls using an external mic (I've got a Blue Snowball Ice) and someone on the other end commented that my voice came in as "podcast quality". That's clearly not happening with a traditional landline.

The other thing is even with traditional landlines, everyone I know used a cordless phone that's powered by wall power. I suppose it might be possible to find some sort of battery source for the basestation.

Now there are some advantages. Once my power went out. My DSL modem and Wi-Fi box were on a small UPS and my laptop obviously worked. I was still able to connect to the internet. However, I think my cable modem and Wi-Fi box might still work too as long as there's battery backup by the cable provider.

 

[wwillson]

i manage a bunch of facilities, we still use them on elevator phones, fire alarms, etc.

Not for much longer....

 

[vavavroom]

Dynamic range is poor

I have never had a cell connection that has come close to a conventional landline in terms of clarity.

, and I've experienced some really bad lines. Then only reason why "plain old telephone service" works in a power outage is because of battery backups, and I've found cell phone service still working - likely because of battery backup. If there's a power outage at the switching office, it would depend on the size of the battery backup and the number of lines it's supporting.

I've been on Zoom calls using an external mic (I've got a Blue Snowball Ice) and someone on the other end commented that my voice came in as "podcast quality". That's clearly not happening with a traditional landline.

The other thing is even with traditional landlines, everyone I know used a cordless phone that's powered by wall power. I suppose it might be possible to find some sort of battery source for the basestation.

I have a few old corded rotary phones - I just don't use them because I don't take landline calls. By the way and off-topic, you can buy a rotary dial cellphone for $350. A lady custom-designed it and makes kits. Looks like 1950's sci-fi. Google skysedge.com.

Now there are some advantages. Once my power went out. My DSL modem and Wi-Fi box were on a small UPS and my laptop obviously worked. I was still able to connect to the internet. However, I think my cable modem and Wi-Fi box might still work too as long as there's battery backup by the cable provider.

Just wait for that 9.0 then tell me how well you can get a connection on your non-satellite cell phone. I'll get out a string and tin cans.

 

[wwillson]

Despite all the high-tech technology, a landline yields clearer and superior sound quality.

Better than G.729, yes, but not better than G.711. POTS MOS score won't hold a candle to wide-band codecs. For instance, VoLTE uses G.722.2 which is wide-band and POTS again can't even come close to the voice quality of VoLTE. Many corporate users are now on G.726, another wide-band codec, which blows POTS out of the water for quality.

Plus a landline will work during a power outage.

Sometimes, but if it's a large scale outage and the CO has no power or an amp has no power in a remote terminal, your POTS won't work.

 

[wwillson]

I have never had a cell connection that has come close to a conventional landline in terms of clarity.

What in the world? Are you still using an old pre-VoLTE cell phone?

 

[vavavroom]

What in the world? Are you still using an old pre-VoLTE cell phone?

I'm using the latest!

 

[wwillson]

I'm using the latest!

Then something is wrong. Modern VoLTE phones use G.722.2 which is a very clear wide-band codec that beats the pants off of POTS.

 

[y_p_w]

I have a few old corded rotary phones - I just don't use them because I don't take landline calls. By the way and off-topic, you can buy a rotary dial cellphone for $350. A lady custom-designed it and makes kits. Looks like 1950's sci-fi. Google skysedge.com.

My house still has an old rotary phone. Classic Western Electric wall phone that's wired in without a jack. Haven't picked it up in a while but I remember hearing static when I did before. I think it was working when we had copper line phone service, but AT&T installed a jack somewhere and we used a cordless phone.

I remember when I was a kid in the 70s and we got a new phone. Just a standard rotary phone that could take a ton of abuse and that the phone company would replace if damaged. But we didn't own the phone and rented it. I was wondering why it wasn't a push button phone instead since those were available. However, I think it used a jack instead of being wired in place, and they had to install an outlet.

 

[vavavroom]

Then something is wrong. Modern VoLTE phones use G.722.2 which is a very clear wide-band codec that beats the pants off of POTS.

Well, I'm the one who says his old analog FM car stereo had better sound quality than any of the newer digital tuners. I want my Blaupunkt back. Maybe it's my hearing. It's actually quite good because I didn't damage it with rock and metal like many of my contemporaries. I prefer old sound equipment because I find it to be superior. Modern phones are louder but I don't think they offer better sound. Maybe it's just me.

 

[vavavroom]

My house still has an old rotary phone. Classic Western Electric wall phone that's wired in without a jack. Haven't picked it up in a while but I remember hearing static when I did before. I think it was working when we had copper line phone service, but AT&T installed a jack somewhere and we used a cordless phone.

I remember when I was a kid in the 70s and we got a new phone. Just a standard rotary phone that could take a ton of abuse and that the phone company would replace if damaged. But we didn't own the phone and rented it. I was wondering why it wasn't a push button phone instead since those were available. However, I think it used a jack instead of being wired in place, and they had to install an outlet.

I have my grandpa's Ericsson bakelite phone somewhere.

 

[wwillson]

Well, I'm the one who says his old analog FM car stereo had better sound quality than any of the newer digital tuners. I want my Blaupunkt back. Maybe it's my hearing. It's actually quite good because I didn't damage it with rock and metal like many of my contemporaries. I prefer old sound equipment because I find it to be superior. Modern phones are louder but I don't think they offer better sound. Maybe it's just me.

I know nothing about old stereos, but I do know about call sound quality. POTS simply can't reproduce human voice with the same clarity as the AMR wide-band codecs, it's just not possible.

 

[vavavroom]

I know nothing about old stereos, but I do know about call sound quality. POTS simply can't reproduce human voice with the same clarity as the AMR wide-band codecs, it's just not possible.

I don't know what to tell you. For sure I didn't run around with a landline phone in the boonies. But at home, I always thought the landline sounded great and I never think that when I'm on a cellphone. Loud yes, super-clear no. I haven't used a landline in years.

 

[y_p_w]

Well, I'm the one who says his old analog FM car stereo had better sound quality than any of the newer digital tuners. I want my Blaupunkt back. Maybe it's my hearing. It's actually quite good because I didn't damage it with rock and metal like many of my contemporaries. I prefer old sound equipment because I find it to be superior. Modern phones are louder but I don't think they offer better sound. Maybe it's just me.

The frequency range of copper wire telephone service is pretty narrow. A modern cell phone should have a wider frequency range.

I do remember when digital cellular phones first came out, one of the criticisms was that the clarity was high, but the sound was someone "tinny". That was probably a matter of using relatively low bandwidth.

 

[wwillson]

Loud yes, super-clear no.

Loudness is controlled on your handset, turn it down a bit and see how it is.