On 9/15/2015 2:48 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 9/15/2015 4:40 AM, noname wrote:
On 09/14/2015 04:23 PM, Uncle Monster wrote:
It's a nice service and good idea but it doesn't work for traditional
land lines from AT&T or the VoIP service from magicJack. o_O

[8~{} Uncle Phone Monster

I've not been following the situation but isn't AT&T trying to migrate
everyone to UVerse VoIP by 2020?....or do they still need to buy some
new regulations?

AFAIK, ATT is getting out of the landline business. Here in CT they sold it
all to Frontier.

(Aging) Copper is harder to maintain. And, landlines have legislated
guarantees of service -- that don't apply to other communication
technologies.

Unfortunately, the businesses that are clinging to copper seem to be
missing the boat in terms of opportunities; you've got all that infrastructure
and every land-line that disappears represents lost revenue. Offer
"basic" DSL for a great price so you get *some* revenue from those
assets! Instead, they (here) want to gouge you for mediocre service
(which makes it easy to decide to go elsewhere for your connectivity!)

On Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at 11:30:15 AM UTC-5, Don Y wrote:
On 9/15/2015 2:48 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 9/15/2015 4:40 AM, noname wrote:
On 09/14/2015 04:23 PM, Uncle Monster wrote:
It's a nice service and good idea but it doesn't work for traditional
land lines from AT&T or the VoIP service from magicJack. o_O

[8~{} Uncle Phone Monster

I've not been following the situation but isn't AT&T trying to migrate
everyone to UVerse VoIP by 2020?....or do they still need to buy some
new regulations?

AFAIK, ATT is getting out of the landline business. Here in CT they sold it
all to Frontier.

(Aging) Copper is harder to maintain. And, landlines have legislated
guarantees of service -- that don't apply to other communication
technologies.

Unfortunately, the businesses that are clinging to copper seem to be
missing the boat in terms of opportunities; you've got all that infrastructure
and every land-line that disappears represents lost revenue. Offer
"basic" DSL for a great price so you get *some* revenue from those
assets! Instead, they (here) want to gouge you for mediocre service
(which makes it easy to decide to go elsewhere for your connectivity!)

I'd like to have fiber optic service but the distribution nodes need power and once the backup power runs out for them, you have dark fiber. The copper POTS line has been the most reliable telephone service for 140 years. I'd call it a mature technology but I really like to have FiOS. ^_^

[8~{} Uncle POTS Monster

"Uncle Monster" wrote in message
...
On Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at 11:30:15 AM UTC-5, Don Y wrote:
On 9/15/2015 2:48 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 9/15/2015 4:40 AM, noname wrote:
On 09/14/2015 04:23 PM, Uncle Monster wrote:
It's a nice service and good idea but it doesn't work for traditional
land lines from AT&T or the VoIP service from magicJack. o_O

[8~{} Uncle Phone Monster

I've not been following the situation but isn't AT&T trying to migrate
everyone to UVerse VoIP by 2020?....or do they still need to buy some
new regulations?

AFAIK, ATT is getting out of the landline business. Here in CT they
sold it
all to Frontier.

(Aging) Copper is harder to maintain. And, landlines have legislated
guarantees of service -- that don't apply to other communication
technologies.

Unfortunately, the businesses that are clinging to copper seem to be
missing the boat in terms of opportunities; you've got all that
infrastructure
and every land-line that disappears represents lost revenue. Offer
"basic" DSL for a great price so you get *some* revenue from those
assets! Instead, they (here) want to gouge you for mediocre service
(which makes it easy to decide to go elsewhere for your connectivity!)

I'd like to have fiber optic service but the distribution nodes need power
and once the backup power runs out for them, you have dark fiber. The copper
POTS line has been the most reliable telephone service for 140 years. I'd
call it a mature technology but I really like to have FiOS. ^_^

----------

it is not an either or proposition.

On 9/15/2015 10:24 AM, Uncle Monster wrote:
On Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at 11:30:15 AM UTC-5, Don Y wrote:

Unfortunately, the businesses that are clinging to copper seem to be
missing the boat in terms of opportunities; you've got all that
infrastructure and every land-line that disappears represents lost
revenue. Offer "basic" DSL for a great price so you get *some* revenue
from those assets! Instead, they (here) want to gouge you for mediocre
service (which makes it easy to decide to go elsewhere for your
connectivity!)

I'd like to have fiber optic service but the distribution nodes need power
and once the backup power runs out for them, you have dark fiber. The copper
POTS line has been the most reliable telephone service for 140 years. I'd
call it a mature technology but I really like to have FiOS. ^_^

It's been said that the force driving bandwidth "requirements" (of the 'net)
is entirely driven by *entertainment*. Surfing the web, email and even
pulling down large ISO's doesn't really tax even a low speed (e.g., 1Mb)
link.

OTOH, folks who want to download movies, music, etc. are stuck with
the associated costs of the pipe.

Frankly, I can't see a need/desire to sit and rot my brain watching streaming
video (on a PC *or* a TV). OTOH, I have a friend that spends his retirement
doing exactly -- and exclusively! -- that! (Gee, all those years he was
working, do you think he was muttering to himself: "I can't wait to
retire so I can sit at home and watch TV all day!!"?)

On Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at 12:35:43 PM UTC-5, Don Y wrote:
On 9/15/2015 10:24 AM, Uncle Monster wrote:
On Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at 11:30:15 AM UTC-5, Don Y wrote:

Unfortunately, the businesses that are clinging to copper seem to be
missing the boat in terms of opportunities; you've got all that
infrastructure and every land-line that disappears represents lost
revenue. Offer "basic" DSL for a great price so you get *some* revenue
from those assets! Instead, they (here) want to gouge you for mediocre
service (which makes it easy to decide to go elsewhere for your
connectivity!)

I'd like to have fiber optic service but the distribution nodes need power
and once the backup power runs out for them, you have dark fiber. The copper
POTS line has been the most reliable telephone service for 140 years. I'd
call it a mature technology but I really like to have FiOS. ^_^

It's been said that the force driving bandwidth "requirements" (of the 'net)
is entirely driven by *entertainment*. Surfing the web, email and even
pulling down large ISO's doesn't really tax even a low speed (e.g., 1Mb)
link.

OTOH, folks who want to download movies, music, etc. are stuck with
the associated costs of the pipe.

Frankly, I can't see a need/desire to sit and rot my brain watching streaming
video (on a PC *or* a TV). OTOH, I have a friend that spends his retirement
doing exactly -- and exclusively! -- that! (Gee, all those years he was
working, do you think he was muttering to himself: "I can't wait to
retire so I can sit at home and watch TV all day!!"?)

I can't do much more than sit in this hospital bed and watch videos. Mostly news and entertainment but I really like documentaries and educational videos. If I was at home, I'd be downloading and experimenting with all sorts of software. I've even been doing some tech support via telephone from my bed. I only turn the TV on when I'm eating because I must take my Chromebook off the table. The last thing I want is to be retired and if I can get back on my feet again, I'll be working until I drop dead on the job. I'd be even more bonkers if I didn't have my Chromebook which allows me to interact with people from all over the world. It's so fraking frustrating to be unable to get up and go out at a moments notice, dammit! o_O

[8~{} Uncle Crippled Monster

On 9/15/2015 11:58 AM, Uncle Monster wrote:
On Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at 12:35:43 PM UTC-5, Don Y wrote:

Frankly, I can't see a need/desire to sit and rot my brain watching
streaming video (on a PC *or* a TV). OTOH, I have a friend that spends
his retirement doing exactly -- and exclusively! -- that! (Gee, all those
years he was working, do you think he was muttering to himself: "I can't
wait to retire so I can sit at home and watch TV all day!!"?)

I can't do much more than sit in this hospital bed and watch videos. Mostly
news and entertainment but I really like documentaries and educational
videos. If I was at home, I'd be downloading and experimenting with all
sorts of software. I've even been doing some tech support via telephone from
my bed. I only turn the TV on when I'm eating because I must take my
Chromebook off the table. The last thing I want is to be retired and if I
can get back on my feet again, I'll be working until I drop dead on the job.
I'd be even more bonkers if I didn't have my Chromebook which allows me to
interact with people from all over the world. It's so fraking frustrating to
be unable to get up and go out at a moments notice, dammit! o_O

Obviously a different situation that that of my friend (my condolences).
*He* is perfectly able to live a normal, active life. But, *chooses* to
watch TV all day long. One neighbor (70-ish) is similarly inclined
(internet or TV). Another *would* spend the day in his over-stuffed
chair -- if his wife hadn't placed limits on his TV-time (the rest of
the time, he appears to spend "eating out" -- as I never see him doing
anything in the yard, swiming in the pool, etc.)

(sigh) If that's what "retirement" is, count me out! :-/ I can't
imagine people spending a lifetime *working* -- doing something largely
because they HAVE TO -- and *not* coming up with a rich bucket list
to look forward to in their retirement (when, hopefully, you have the
time, health *and* re$ource$ to do so)!

On Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at 2:51:59 PM UTC-5, Don Y wrote:
On 9/15/2015 11:58 AM, Uncle Monster wrote:
On Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at 12:35:43 PM UTC-5, Don Y wrote:

Frankly, I can't see a need/desire to sit and rot my brain watching
streaming video (on a PC *or* a TV). OTOH, I have a friend that spends
his retirement doing exactly -- and exclusively! -- that! (Gee, all those
years he was working, do you think he was muttering to himself: "I can't
wait to retire so I can sit at home and watch TV all day!!"?)

I can't do much more than sit in this hospital bed and watch videos. Mostly
news and entertainment but I really like documentaries and educational
videos. If I was at home, I'd be downloading and experimenting with all
sorts of software. I've even been doing some tech support via telephone from
my bed. I only turn the TV on when I'm eating because I must take my
Chromebook off the table. The last thing I want is to be retired and if I
can get back on my feet again, I'll be working until I drop dead on the job.
I'd be even more bonkers if I didn't have my Chromebook which allows me to
interact with people from all over the world. It's so fraking frustrating to
be unable to get up and go out at a moments notice, dammit! o_O

Obviously a different situation that that of my friend (my condolences).
*He* is perfectly able to live a normal, active life. But, *chooses* to
watch TV all day long. One neighbor (70-ish) is similarly inclined
(internet or TV). Another *would* spend the day in his over-stuffed
chair -- if his wife hadn't placed limits on his TV-time (the rest of
the time, he appears to spend "eating out" -- as I never see him doing
anything in the yard, swiming in the pool, etc.)

(sigh) If that's what "retirement" is, count me out! :-/ I can't
imagine people spending a lifetime *working* -- doing something largely
because they HAVE TO -- and *not* coming up with a rich bucket list
to look forward to in their retirement (when, hopefully, you have the
time, health *and* re$ource$ to do so)!

Several years ago I was still working full time running service calls and working on installations. My friend GB who was 71 at the time and still working, died in his sleep as we were finishing up a job. Me and my brother were at the jobsite when we found out that our friend had passed away the night before. GB was a 71 year old juvenile delinquent who'd lost a lung to cancer but he couldn't put the cigarettes down. He hid them from me and my brother because he knew we'd chew him out for it. He hid his smoking from his wife, his daughters and his sisters because they'd go after him worse than us guys would. It killed him in the end and if he'd just thrown the damn cigarettes away, he'd be alive today. I'm still angry about it. 8-(

[8~{} Uncle Angry Monster

On 9/15/2015 3:52 PM, Don Y wrote:


Obviously a different situation that that of my friend (my condolences).
*He* is perfectly able to live a normal, active life. But, *chooses* to
watch TV all day long. One neighbor (70-ish) is similarly inclined
(internet or TV). Another *would* spend the day in his over-stuffed
chair -- if his wife hadn't placed limits on his TV-time (the rest of
the time, he appears to spend "eating out" -- as I never see him doing
anything in the yard, swiming in the pool, etc.)

(sigh) If that's what "retirement" is, count me out! :-/ I can't
imagine people spending a lifetime *working* -- doing something largely
because they HAVE TO -- and *not* coming up with a rich bucket list
to look forward to in their retirement (when, hopefully, you have the
time, health *and* re$ource$ to do so)!


I'm 20% retired and I'm enjoying whatever I can do. Extra time, extra
money make life a bit of fun while we can. Next year I'm going to
retire another 10% or 20%. My wife and I have a list of things we want
to do and we do them as weather and mood allows.