isp and phone lines ?

i have been wondering about this. why is it in this day of broadband, that we have to still have to pay for a phone line?

it is possible to use/have a broadband connection without a phone line. i do not mean the line from your house, as you need the wires, but i mean, why do we have to pay to be connected to make phone calls.

we never really use the phone, so we would not miss it, but if i get the phone disconnected then i have to loose the broadband.

(i think that makes sense)

Reply to
banjo
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answers based on the assumption you are UK based...

you dont. Virgin can provide cable (in the old NTL / Telewest areas) - phone line optional.

where you get broadband via ADSL - i suspect it is more about the wires inventory for the copper - this "stuff" was all built out on the assumption it was there for phones......

Also the ISP probably doesnt provide the wires - the incumbent telco (BT) does that, and they want to be paid for something.

The LLU (local loop unbundling) system does allow "someone" like Virgin to go rent the copper wires from BT and do what they like with it - but the basic assumption is that nearly always includes a POTS phone line.

look upon it as rental for the wires?

Reply to
stephen

I assume you are on DSL hits the phone line. Check to see if you can drop the phone service but keep the DSL, They might offer dry "loop service" but IF they do it's likely to cost more than paying for the basic telephone service How much are you paying for service and what speeds? If you only have basic telephone service which is likely only costing $10-15 a month thats not to bad.considering you get a REAL phone line in the advent that something serious happens around you. A cell system can be locked down for hours in less than one minute if something happens around you.. a land line on the other hand will last somewhat longer and requires no power to use it.

Adair

Adair

Reply to
Adair Witner

You're paying for maintenance of the copper and circuitry in your local exchange. You need this for your DSL line.

Cable broadband.

You'll miss it when there's a terrorist alrert & the mobile phone network is swamped or offline. This is what happened in London a couple of years back. Landlines were very much in vogue...

Reply to
Mark McIntyre

Mmmm. Also, we actually get broadband through radio link to a local mast.

Well there's always VoIP over broadband too. (-:

-- Mark

Reply to
Mark T.B. Carroll

:-). Not when the local 'net is down. Happened in our HK office a month or so ago. Some inconsiderate b*gger made an earthquake happen nearby.

Reply to
Mark McIntyre

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