Reply #52: It's handy as all get-out when the power goes out,especially if you retain a rotary phone to plug in

[Hekate]

I don't know about your DSL, but during last year's wildfire we could see not only trees blowing up but transformers and cell towers going up on the hill. Everyone's cell phone was useless. Our cordless phone set was dead. Hubby went into the garage and dusted off his old rotary phone, plugged it in, and voila -- phone service, afaik the only live phone on the block for the duration. When the Northridge Earthquake (Los Angeles) of 1994 happened over a hundred miles away it killed our power: however, my sister in Massachusetts telephoned me to see if we were all right (we were) and was able to give me the news that she was getting from watching her television.

I know I am a technological dinosaur, but telephone service USED to be a public utility and was maintained as such. Cable and wireless are not public utilities but strictly for-profit enterprises, and the public good is not really factored in.

Just sayin'. We're still paying for both, although the way that Verizon keeps not maintaining their service will eventually drive us away...

Hekate