Say Goodbye to your Copper Phone Line!

Interesting observations and perspective, Peter. But I must add, this FCC is a joke, largely a puppet of the big telecoms and MSOs (cable companies). The FCC tries to mouth the right things, but the bottom line is, their regulations rarely have any real teeth these days... including the latest rules forthcoming in a month or two. Our whole government is now way too beholden to special interests. But I digress. And before I add the main point of my comment, let me just state that yes, for security, a regular phone line -- in most cases (with easily accessed outside wires to cut) -- is virtually worthless. So yes, I definitely want my wireless security system (the in-home control panel) to communicate via cellular to the central monitoring station, and NOT by phone. BUT... for many (perhaps most) life-safety related emergency situations, a traditional telephone line is very hard to beat. When the power is out, the phone (line) is usually on, for example (so if you have at least one simple, line current phone in the house, you'll be good). If you're having a heart attack, and you have only a few seconds to dial 911 and have it go through, and there was a choice between your cell phone and a traditional landline, what would you choose? Well, most of us, having some sense of the relative reliability of the two choices, would instantly choose the landline. Yes, you guys have a panic pendant that works great, but still, I would like to have BOTH options. Unlike a burglar, with a medical emergency, there are rarely people out to "get you" and cut your lines at just the right time, that's the difference in importance and relevance of traditional phone lines in these other life-safety applications. Bottom line is, these companies just want out of the requirement to provide wired switched phone service because it's somewhat expensive, and everything is now controlled by short term thinking, shareholders, and the almighty dollar. I absolutely do not see this as a positive development at least in the intermediate term. Maybe in the long term somehow. All just personal opinion, YMMV.

Interesting observations and perspective, Peter. But I must add, this FCC is a joke, largely a puppet of the big telecoms and MSOs (cable companies). The FCC tries to mouth the right things, but the bottom line is, their regulations rarely have any real teeth these days... including the latest rules forthcoming in a month or two. Our whole government is now way too beholden to special interests. But I digress. And before I add the main point of my comment, let me just state that yes, for security, a regular phone line -- in most cases (with easily accessed outside wires to cut) -- is virtually worthless. So yes, I definitely want my wireless security system (the in-home control panel) to communicate via cellular to the central monitoring station, and NOT by phone. BUT... for many (perhaps most) life-safety related emergency situations, a traditional telephone line is very hard to beat. When the power is out, the phone (line) is usually on, for example (so if you have at least one simple, line current phone in the house, you'll be good). If you're having a heart attack, and you have only a few seconds to dial 911 and have it go through, and there was a choice between your cell phone and a traditional landline, what would you choose? Well, most of us, having some sense of the relative reliability of the two choices, would instantly choose the landline. Yes, you guys have a panic pendant that works great, but still, I would like to have BOTH options. Unlike a burglar, with a medical emergency, there are rarely people out to "get you" and cut your lines at just the right time, that's the difference in importance and relevance of traditional phone lines in these other life-safety applications. Bottom line is, these companies just want out of the requirement to provide wired switched phone service because it's somewhat expensive, and everything is now controlled by short term thinking, shareholders, and the almighty dollar. I absolutely do not see this as a positive development at least in the intermediate term. Maybe in the long term somehow. All just personal opinion, YMMV.

[...] phone lines – and even if they didn’t, if AT&T and other carriers get their way, there won’t be any traditional phones left in a few years to cut. The only safe and reliable monitoring method is cellular. By the way, [...]

[...] phone lines – and even if they didn’t, if AT&T and other carriers get their way, there won’t be any traditional phones left in a few years to cut. The only safe and reliable monitoring method is cellular. By the way, [...]