Rex's Mom wrote:
Suzie-Q wrote:

In article ,
Rex's Mom wrote:

- Have heard and read conflicting info about what is 'safest'
- type of telephone to use during lightning storm. I know the
- general statement is *don't do it*, but if one must...
-
- corded or cordless? does it matter if the telephone also has
- an integrated answering machine?
-
- I know it's basic, but I need to replace my very old
- telephone(s) and want to make the *best* choice.
-
- TIA

Of course, it's safer to use a cordless phone during a
storm. However, during a power outage you'll want to have
a cheap corded phone around because the cordless won't
work.
thanks and also thanks for the reminder about corded in case
of power failure. Must admit that if we have a particularly
bad storm there is usually (even if brief) power outage
along with the lightning.


Besides being the only phone that will work during a power outage, you
should also have at least one corded phone in your house when making
information-sensitive phone calls (i.e. calling credit card companies,
banks, etc.). With a corded phone your neighbour or that van parked on
the street can't listen in to your phone calls without having a
physical wiretap on your phone line. With cordless, your broadcasting
your phone conversation to your surroundings.

Although I'm sure things have improved (to a certain degree), I
remember my first cordless phone (Sony) would always pick up other
people's phone conversations. I could even take the phone with me a
few miles away from my house, and pick up other people's phone
conversations. That was probably before they started using thousands
of different channels for the phone transmitter / receiver.

Notice in movies how the president always calls the Pentagon with a
CORDED phone?