Death to POTS ? !

[cbelt3]

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/...ad-at-fcc/

"On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission is expected to take its first major step toward letting AT&T and other carriers replace the country's traditional phone system with one that works entirely over Internet Protocol networks.

AT&T has argued that the technology transition should be accompanied by deregulation that would strip the company of most of its monopoly-era obligations. AT&T likely won't get everything it wants, though. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler wrote in a blog post last November that he intends to "ensure the continuation of the Network Compact" with universal service for all Americans, consumer protections, public safety services, and competition."

Don't hold your breath that this will somehow make broadband more available in Rural America.

[deckeda]

I wish our country had a strong FCC and FTC, instead of competition purists who lament that what we have is fine if only people would act well without being told to do so.

[freeradical]

This doesn't make sense to me. What "wire" will they use to deliver their services to the last mile? Will they just be providing a service on someone else's wire? The reason that many people still have their POTs is that it's about as close to 100% reliable as it gets since the phone company provides power over that local loop. With a VOIP model, people would need to have a UPS to ensure phone service during a power outage. Once people realize that their phone service with the phone company no longer offers pretty much guaranteed service, what's to stop them from defecting to some other VOIP provider?

[Paul F.]

deckeda wrote:
I wish our country had a strong FCC and FTC, instead of competition purists who lament that what we have is fine if only people would act well without being told to do so.

While I agree our system is imperfect (in so MANY ways...), beware issuing jackboots to petty men - they will always end up doing something you like even less than what they replaced.

[GGD]

freeradical wrote:
This doesn't make sense to me. What "wire" will they use to deliver their services to the last mile? Will they just be providing a service on someone else's wire? The reason that many people still have their POTs is that it's about as close to 100% reliable as it gets since the phone company provides power over that local loop. With a VOIP model, people would need to have a UPS to ensure phone service during a power outage. Once people realize that their phone service with the phone company no longer offers pretty much guaranteed service, what's to stop them from defecting to some other VOIP provider?

Looks like they're planning on using the Wireless "wire". I'm in an area where they can't support DSL on their wires, and their wireless reception is poor, we have their cell phone service because we mainly use our cell phones when we're away from the house where reception is good.

Ultimately, AT&T wants to move everything to IP and stop maintaining the PSTN by roughly 2020. In some areas where wired infrastructure is difficult to maintain, AT&T wants to deploy wireless-only services. The company did not provide any comment to Ars in advance of today's vote.

The type of technology used would be up to the carrier. In rural areas where it's expensive to wire up every home, carriers might try to shift everyone to wireless service. AT&T has said that in 25 percent of its customer locations, "it's currently not economically feasible to build a competitive IP wireline network," so it would use 4G LTE instead "to offer voice and high-speed IP Internet services."

There will be concerns about reliability of wireless services, particularly during power outages, but the FCC official said Wheeler isn't reflexively for or against wireless as a replacement for the PSTN.

[Spock]

Paul F. wrote:
[quote=deckeda]
I wish our country had a strong FCC and FTC, instead of competition purists who lament that what we have is fine if only people would act well without being told to do so.

While I agree our system is imperfect (in so MANY ways...), beware issuing jackboots to petty men - they will always end up doing something you like even less than what they replaced.
Just leave it to the corporate kleptocracy who will look after your best interests, right?

[Paul F.]

Spock wrote:
[quote=Paul F.]
[quote=deckeda]
I wish our country had a strong FCC and FTC, instead of competition purists who lament that what we have is fine if only people would act well without being told to do so.

While I agree our system is imperfect (in so MANY ways...), beware issuing jackboots to petty men - they will always end up doing something you like even less than what they replaced.
Just leave it to the corporate kleptocracy who will look after your best interests, right?
Try reading the sentence as a whole, you arrogant jacckass.

[rgG]

Getting rid of wire, completely, is not a good idea.

[deckeda]

Paul F. wrote:
[quote=deckeda]
I wish our country had a strong FCC and FTC, instead of competition purists who lament that what we have is fine if only people would act well without being told to do so.

While I agree our system is imperfect (in so MANY ways...), beware issuing jackboots to petty men - they will always end up doing something you like even less than what they replaced.
I think one of our differences comes from assuming the "men" who would be issued the power are petty. The alternative scenario we're already in is no picnic.

[GGD]

rgG wrote:
Getting rid of wire, completely is not a good idea.

I always say that data travels faster and more reliably through copper than through air. I use wired Ethernet in my home whenever possible even though I have WiFi routers.