AT&T rural phone service

I had a recent conversation with a AT&T tech and asked him what the status of old rural landlines for old rural home phones was. He said it all would be abandoned in 5 years (2020). It would be replaced with VOIP over their required satellite service (Dish). Cost would start at $19.95/mo without a ll the current taxes but I'm sure they'll want you to take more services. Sounds pretty shaky if you need to dial 911 in a hurry and coverage is down due to weather.

Reply to
RedAlt5
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Not to mention the 1/2 second delay (minimum) inherent in VoIP on a satellite connection.

Reply to
Doctor WTF

It's really not a problem. Jack Bauer will have Chloe reposition the satellite so that it's not over a storm.

Unless of course it's a hydronuclear storm on the sun.

Reply to
micky

s of old rural landlines for old rural home phones was. He said it all wou ld be abandoned in 5 years (2020). It would be replaced with VOIP over the ir required satellite service (Dish). Cost would start at $19.95/mo without all the current taxes but I'm sure they'll want you to take more services. Sounds pretty shaky if you need to dial 911 in a hurry and coverage is do wn due to weather.

What?! You mean when I turn the crank and ask for Sarah the operator she wo n't be there any more?

Reply to
KLayton888

s of old rural landlines for old rural home phones was. He said it all wou ld be abandoned in 5 years (2020). It would be replaced with VOIP over the ir required satellite service (Dish). Cost would start at $19.95/mo without all the current taxes but I'm sure they'll want you to take more services. Sounds pretty shaky if you need to dial 911 in a hurry and coverage is do wn due to weather.

An AT&T tech might know something, but AFAIK, AT&T isn't even the company that's responsible. When AT&T was split up in the 80s, the baby bells took over the installed landlines, local phone service, etc. I'd be surprised i f there is some majic cuttoff date. I expect it will just slowly die off and how long copper lasts anywhere will be a localized issue. Here in NJ, some shore communities were the first in the country where the phone compan y (Verizon) decided not to replace damaged copper.

Reply to
trader_4

You are confusing today's AT&T with the old AT&T. Not the same company. Today's AT&T came from one or more baby bells merging with Cingular Wireless. In some parts of the country, AT&T *is* the local phone company. In other parts, Verizon has that honor. There are others, too.

Reply to
Pat

:

atus of old rural landlines for old rural home phones was. He said it all would be abandoned in 5 years (2020). It would be replaced with VOIP over their required satellite service (Dish). Cost would start at $19.95/mo with out all the current taxes but I'm sure they'll want you to take more servic es. Sounds pretty shaky if you need to dial 911 in a hurry and coverage is down due to weather.

Yes, I see you're right. I didn't realize ATT put part of it's old self back together again. In fact, I see that they are now apparently the largest provider of local service in the USA (again).

So, some googling produced this:

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"AT&T is likely to be the biggest winner if it successfully scraps its copp er network. The company wants to drop landline service completely by 2020, saving the company millions while ending government oversight and eliminati ng service obligations."

So, the OP/tech are apparently right, that ATT wants to at least try to be out in 5 years. And it's not just rural, it's everywhere. Still seems unlikely they will achieve it, but it certainly could happen in some places .

Reply to
trader_4

Here is CT, ATT pulled out of the landline business. We are now part of Frontier. So far, they have doubles my DSL speed.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

I thought it was still illegal to retire the old POTS networks. What? They jes leave all that copper in the ground or are they recovering it? What about thieves?

nb

Reply to
notbob

Why would it be "illegal"? They probably have to convince the state utility commission, but they could certainly do that. Most of that copper isn't in the ground, it's in the air, strung across miles of poles. With the price of copper, it's probably worth it for someone to recover it, maybe they sell it off to a third party to recover, etc.

It's already happened here in NJ. A few of the shore towns hit by Sandy, Verizon is not replacing the copper.

Reply to
trader_4

but they are no doubt replacing it with something better than satellite.

Reply to
Pico Rico

And if you believe that, I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you!!!!!

Reply to
hrhofmann

I've got AT&T for my long distance provider although I'm not sure why. I seldom make long distance calls and if I do it's on the cell. Too lazy to cancel, I guess. Anyway, AT&T doesn't own the local copper. That's CenturyLink aka Quest aka US West.

Reply to
rbowman

$20 seems like a good price

Reply to
philo 

Yes, IDK what exactly, but some VOIP, FIOS I think, The area has cable, so that's an alternative too. The real question is how is AT&T going to get completely out of copper in 5 years in sparsely populated rural areas where there is no other infrastructure, ie cable, etc. They surely aren't going to run fiber all over the place. Would utility regulators let them abandon those customers? Wonder if OP asked the tech?

Reply to
trader_4

The problem I was referring to is mostly hilly rural where there is no cabl e and only 1 cell carrier @ $155/mo, if you're lucky to get service. The l andline is all buried, not air. The line is encapsulated 100 pair #22 wire , so probably more insulation per foot than copper. It's buried about 36" d eep so removal is more expensive & trouble than worthwhile to them or thiev es.

There was some talk a while back about installing fiber, but the trial was a flop because of cost vs income unless it was a well populated area. Us r ural folks are being left out of technology growth except for satellites. Hope a solar flare doesn't fry them & isolate us.

And yeah, state utility regulators are involved. But special interest folks find a way to influence them.

Reply to
RedAlt5

Century Link is pushing 10meg down copper and selling the TV/Internet/VOIP deal with existing wire in the ground. They just need a fiber concentrator fairly close. I bet they are thinking about the same deal.

Reply to
gfretwell

s of old rural landlines for old rural home phones was. He said it all wou ld be abandoned in 5 years (2020). It would be replaced with VOIP over the ir required satellite service (Dish). Cost would start at $19.95/mo without all the current taxes but I'm sure they'll want you to take more services. Sounds pretty shaky if you need to dial 911 in a hurry and coverage is do wn due to weather.

there are cell vcompanies providing local phone service for as low as 10 bu cks a month..........

if you can get any cell service around your home. it can work/\\

with a exterior directional antenna, or cell repeater..

at this point few if any need local phone service.

my great aunt wants it, her verizon phone drop copper failed, after a big f ight they replaced the copper line from pole to street.

around here verizon pushes fios. my 2 years with their crap fios service wa s too much for a lifetime. it was 2 years of hell, before i was able to can cel.

i insited they remove te NID and copper drop, Isaid OK I am putting up a bi g banner across my lawn FIOS sucks is that what you want?

they removed the drop.

their total lack of customer service was astounding.

if anyone is interested i can post my experience...........

it sucked

Reply to
bob haller

On Sat, 10 Jan 2015 09:57:01 -0800, "Pico Rico" wrote in

I have DSL and use about 20Gb/month for $55. The same 20Gb from Verizon via cell towers would be $150. That's why they want to abandon copper lines.

Reply to
CRNG

They didn't retire it. They sold it to Frontier like he said.

Reply to
Pat

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