An ode to the telephone wire and the loss of reliability

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

By Ron Friesen / Herald Columnist

“Liar, liar, pants on fire, hanging from a telephone wire.”

“Grandpa, what’s a telephone wire?”

Indeed, good question. Before we had smart phones, that handheld computer connecting us to individuals, phones were actually connected using wire. Whoever was at the phone’s location would answer when the phone rang. It was a good system, but not perfect.

Despite its flaws, there was one advantage we have lost and have not recovered. The old system was an enduring, robust, stand-alone system. Today’s systems are not like this at all. They are more fragile than a bubble in the air.

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/forum-an-ode-to-the-telephone-wire-and-the-loss-of-reliability/

[CentralMass]

1. Yes and no. Cellular network have become pretty reliable

and easier to keep running and or to restore after or even during natural disasters.

[Srkdqltr]

2. I still have my house phone . It works during power outages and when I'm out I'm not bothered it.

[shrike3]

3. Still have mine, too. Finally got a smart phone because everyone on earth seemed to want to text me.

Now no one texts me, and everyone wants to call me on the stupid thing. Go figure.

[IzzaNuDay]

4. Pry my line from my cold dead hands

we live in a dead zone. we kept the landline although we have smartphones. they are good as nothing so we aren’t ditching the landline anytime soon!

the lack of cell coverage infuriated one of my managers that I couldn’t answer my business cell phone after hours calls. they were ratting on me to their superiors that I didn’t answer the phone!

[SouthernDem4ever]

5. VOIP lines over cable are still technically landlines but with less protection

Meaning if your power goes out so does your Voip if you don't have your router on a battery backup at home.. If your router breaks, so does your voip line. Also, the clarity of sound is not always reliable depending on the routers making the connection like on landlines.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

6. I used to work tech support for a cable company

One of the selling points of VOIP was "it has a battery backup, so if the power goes out you will still be able to call!"
No mention that if your Internet goes out, that battery backup makes no difference.

[SouthernDem4ever]

7. Very true although now battery backup isn't a given anymore

since people buy their own routers and don't have battery backup in many cases unless they purchase a UPS to cover no power issues.

[dalton99a]

13. +1

[multigraincracker]

8. I really miss picking up a ringing

pay phone in a phone booth.

[madinmaryland]

9. Or making a collect call from a pay phone!

[multigraincracker]

10. Is Telephone Operator still

a job? I’ll have to dial 0 and see.

[madinmaryland]

11. You will probably have to dial zero multiple time until you get a human...

And then it will be an AI generated voice. 🤬

[multigraincracker]

12. My favorite operator was

Ernestine from Laugh In. One ringy dingy, two ringy dinys.