Jerm
join:2000-04-10
Richland, WA | pots can die die die
I don't care. VOIP is the future. |
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Quake110
join:2003-12-20
Ottawa, ON
 ·Velcom
| In Canada, I don't feel the same way. Pots are the most reliable, I don't even trust the cable companies because the battery in the devices will last a few hours at most.
Imagine if I had VoIP During the big East American-Canadian blackout?... We will be cut off. Only the pots stayed working. |
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Shoreline
Your Freedom Fries Are Stale
join:2003-09-29
Santa Clara, CA
| It's a bit of a paradox, Joe consumer's options are
VOIP is good because it isn't POTS.
POTS still works when the power is cut.
VOIP does not work because it likely needs a router/network or working transmitter which goes with the power.
POTS has an advantage, but almost everyone nowadays with that uses a phone system that will only work when the power is on. Better have backup phone like I do.
--
Moore/Alexander 2008
Conservatives love religious-like aphorisms so here's one: "Freedom isn't free. It's Made in China." |
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Smith6612
Premium
join:2008-02-01
united state
·FrontierNet Intern..
·Verizon Online DSL
 ·Dish Network
| I have a very old 900MHz cordless phone that if the base unit has a battery in it, will let the unit run for a while. The phone itself, however won't charge, which saves the battery tremendously. My 2.4GHz device, however doesn't have this ability. Otherwise, I'm a POTS user and prefer POTS over VoIP for a couple reasons. |
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Shoreline
Your Freedom Fries Are Stale
join:2003-09-29
Santa Clara, CA | I haven't ever known a person to change the battery in their alarm clocks that they use every morning, never mind their phone.
We're all just a lazy bunch.  |
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NOCMan
Verizon Fios User
Premium
join:2004-09-30
Flower Mound, TX | reply to Quake110
I have to agree. However, line powered VOIP should be what the telephone companies move to. They're ignoring it completely though.
Perhaps if they got in touch with pricing. 30 dollars a month is plenty for a rarely used line. |
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insomniac84
join:2002-01-03
Schererville, IN
| reply to Jerm
said by Jerm  :I don't care. VOIP is the future. Say goodbye to unlimited plans when ISPs successfully charge you based on usage. And once there it is only a matter of time before they lock up ports and charge to use certain ones and charge more for bandwidth on certain ports. If they can get away with per megabyte fees, they easily can get away with charging different rates based on the kinds of traffic. |
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morbo
Complete Your Transaction
join:2002-01-22
00000
clubs:
 ·Charter Pipeline
·AT&T Southwest
| reply to NOCMan
said by NOCMan :Perhaps if they got in touch with pricing. 30 dollars a month is plenty for a rarely used line. they need to. they are practically forcing users away from POTS. instead of consumers thinking, "it's a nice backup", it's "i can't afford to pay $30/mo for something i rarely use." |
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Smith6612
Premium
join:2008-02-01
united state
·FrontierNet Intern..
·Verizon Online DSL
·Dish Network
edit:
July 23rd, @12:09AM
| reply to Jerm
In my cause our POTS line is being utilized for 2 hours on a daily basis while we're home every day. Our cell phones are used during the mornings and afternoons, the POTS at night. This is mainly because someone in my house doesn't know how to do internet calls and prefers to tie the phone up all the time, despite us having DSL which works perfectly. |
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burris
Premium
join:2000-08-22
Miami, FL
 ·VOIPo
·AT&T Southeast
·ViaTalk
·Comcast
| reply to Jerm
One of the major problems with the landline companies has been greed....translated to returns for shareholders.
All the features that VOIP offers are and have been residing in the POTS switches for years.
The greed aspect comes into play when they charge 6.60 for call waiting or unrealistic sums for any other features.
Remember, their infrastructure has been amortized over the last 50 years, but they still seem to convince the FCC and PSC that they need the rates they charge.
Interestingly, the competition hasn't come from within the industry because the competing LECs had an unwritten agreement not to compete in each other's territory. |
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CylonRed
Premium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County
·Speakeasy
| reply to Quake110
said by Quake110 :In Canada, I don't feel the same way. Pots are the most reliable, I don't even trust the cable companies because the battery in the devices will last a few hours at most. Imagine if I had VoIP During the big East American-Canadian blackout?... We will be cut off. Only the pots stayed working. Same here - I use pots nearly every day if not multiple times a day if needed. With 2 kids and a wife - I want the phone working when the power goes out without worrying about batteries.
Cell phone can really suck for long distance calls and even local ones can be pretty crappy not to mention having to keep up with battery charging. |
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anonycoward
@sbcglobal.net
| reply to Shoreline
said by Shoreline :POTS still works when the power is cut. This is certainly not true. When the RT loses power, so does the POTS. My cell-phone is far more reliable in power outages with its ability to pick up multiple towers. |
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Quake110
join:2003-12-20
Ottawa, ON
·Velcom
| said by anonycoward :said by Shoreline :POTS still works when the power is cut. This is certainly not true. When the RT loses power, so does the POTS. My cell-phone is far more reliable in power outages with its ability to pick up multiple towers. What will you do if your cell-phone battery was already low on power and there was an outage that lasted for hours?
I can confirmed during the major blackout that lasted hours, even a day, the POTS stayed strong. People were relying on them to contact others. So for me, POTS (with a regular phone) has the best reliability. |
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wentlanc
You Can't Fix Dumb..
join:2003-07-30
Maineville, OH
| Charge it from your car? I know, it all seems too simple.
And who are you calling all this time while the power is out? Let people know you are safe. I'm sure there are more important things to do than jabber on the phone during a disaster.
cw |
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CylonRed
Premium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County | I would use it for emergencies - police, fire, police when the power is out. |
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FAQFixer
Premium
join:2004-06-28
Powder Springs, GA
| reply to NOCMan
said by NOCMan :I have to agree. However, line powered VOIP should be what the telephone companies move to. They're ignoring it completely though. That's because it is a stupid idea peddled by charlatans. |
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Madness
got fight?
join:2000-01-05
Quincy, MA
·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to burris
That's been my major pet peeve about POTS. My cheapie PAYG cellphone includes call waiting, ID & voicemail as part of the basic service. Why should it cost about an extra ~$12-15 or so to add those to a basic POTS line (or require a more premium package)?
Another peeve was when the VZ started this "minimum long-distance usage" charge for their LD service. Getting charged $2 (later $4) whether or not I made that amount in calls. That's largely what made me go to DSL dry-loop.
Not to say that cellphones are the end-all solution, either. My peeve about a lot of them is very short battery life (even in standby). If there was an emergency & my phone was dead, there's a payphone (remember them?) directly across the street from my house. As long as myself or anyone else here was able-bodied, we could make the call from there. |
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POTS4Life
@verizon.net
| reply to Jerm
said by Jerm :I don't care. VOIP is the future. Yeah, until that day you need an ambulance.
E911, Voip, Cellular 911 does not work.
Don't wait until its too late to find out.
POTS is worth every penny. |
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sbcretired
join:2006-01-07
Scottville, MI
| reply to anonycoward
said by anonycoward :said by Shoreline :POTS still works when the power is cut. This is certainly not true. When the RT loses power, so does the POTS. My cell-phone is far more reliable in power outages with its ability to pick up multiple towers. Well, the RT's have battery back-up, monitored by digital link 24/7 and technicians that run generators out to the RT's (in ATT Midwest anyway) |
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