DIYbanter - View Single Post - bye-bye land line telephone

Don Y[_3_]

On 5/11/2016 5:29 PM, wrote:
Thanks Don - appreciate the input.
I never considered the "loads" of my old telephones ..
maybe someone here has actual experience ?

"Old" phones (i.e., from Western Electric -- the sorts with real
BELLS in them) tend to be 1 REN -- the telco actually had to
deliver the power to move the clapper to strike the bell.

Newer phones tend to have much lower REN's -- they "sense"
the "ring voltage" (90 volts) and tell the little computer
(damn near everything has a computer of some type!) "Hey,
there's an incoming call!".

The little computer than figures out how to "ring A bell"
(cricket chirp, etc.) to alert the user. Often, using
"power" available from a battery pack or wall wart power
adapter (i.e., the phone company is not supplying the "ring
power"!)

By contrast, our "cordless phone set" has a REN of 0.1 and
has to deal with four phones plus the answering machine
(all wrapped in that 0.1 REN).

The takeaway, here, is to consider the *types* of phones that
you have. Anything recent will have a "REN number" printed
on the device, somewhere.

I did keep my phone number. I will lose phone service for power
outages and for internet system outages, and also the 911 will be
less effective. But the Bell bill has been climbing steadily for 20
years - ~ $ 75. per month compared to $ 20. for the internet
phone.

Our land line is about $30 -- most of that being taxes and fees.
We have no fancy features. No long distance service (we use
calling cards or SWMBO's cell phone for that and sidestep those
additional fees). Her cell phone runs a bit less than $10/month.
And, our ISP is $20. No CATV. So, our "communications costs"
are ~$60/month.

I also switched sat TV from Bell Expressvu - to Shaw -
free receiver; install; no contract ; slightly better programming -
for slightly less money .. ~ $ 65. per month.
The "stay with us " phone calls from Bell were quite lame -
they are not interested in keeping the minimal users -
they are looking for the bigger fish.

TPC is making a huge mistake, IMO. They've got all that copper
and CO equipment. They should be "GIVING AWAY" services to keep
eeking value out of it. E.g., instead of trying to ding people $60
for DSL, give it to them for $20 -- let them buy faster speeds
if they are shy on capacity (capacity that is not SOLD is WASTED!)

I suggested that they sell a " 911 only " plan - for people who
cringe at losing this great feature - it would generate a little
income from otherwise lost customers and provide a continued contact
to customers for future business .. and be a feel good thing -
something lacking - I'd pay a few bucks for it.

Here, they have been trying to replace wired land lines with
WIRELESS land lines. It gives them a way around the regulations
that apply to *wired* delivery.

(Why buy a wireless land line that you can't CARRY WITH YOU???)