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AT&T applies to end obligation to service landlines in California

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Re: AT&T applies to end obligation to service landlines in California

#91

Post by bearjaws »

greendave wrote: post #87

I live less than. a mile from a mid-sized town (15k peopl), 25 miles from the heart of Silicon Valley. The only reliable internet access available is 8mbit DSL using copper and satellite (HughesNet). No cable, no fiber, dodgy cell service, and at last try Starlink was not remotely reliable. Last big rainstorm we lost service for 5 days. I’d love to be able to ditch copper, but if AT&T is allowed to pull the plug, it…

I live in Florida and found Starlink worked mostly fine in a rain storm (occasional disconnects). This is using their newer portable receiver though, which one did you use?

Re: AT&T applies to end obligation to service landlines in California

#92

Post by ben_w »

sys_64738 wrote: post #66
h_tbob wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder if that's because the USA is that stupid, or if it's just not as population dense as other countries with faster speeds? According to this statistic, it's not very dense, meaning it's super expensive to build broadband. Because it's pretty much a question of physical area covered, not number of people serviced. This stat says the USA is on the lower end of density https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.POP.…

> I wonder if that's because the USA is that stupid The USA is a continent made up of 50 countries [states]. Think European Union. Most people don't grasp or understand the sheer size.

Canada is bigger than the USA, and is a distinct part of the same continent.

Merely being big isn't a good argument.

Re: AT&T applies to end obligation to service landlines in California

#93

Post by jmyeet »

Let's give them a choice:

1. Keep supporting landlines;

2. Relax that anywhere symmetric 1Gbps fiber is available for under $60/month; or

3. Leave the service area, transferring existing assets to a municipal authority who can then build and install symmetric 1Gbps fiber to their residents.

Pick one.

Re: AT&T applies to end obligation to service landlines in California

#95

Post by vonunov »

markild wrote: post #16
pizzafeelsright wrote: post #13

Related, I am not sure how to teach a toddler to call 911. My cell is locked and I'm not giving them the pin or face. Without a land line I am considering an exterior alarm wired to an inside panic button. In the evert I collapse from choking on a banana slug what does my toddler do? So far the I instructions are to ring the trusted neighbors.

Absolutely every cell phone has the ability to call emergency numbers from a locked device. Even without Sim card.

(also note it will use any available cell tower operated by any provider and will preempt normal calls if the station is too busy, so the appearance of no signal/"bars" shouldn't discourage trying to call 911)

Re: AT&T applies to end obligation to service landlines in California

#96

Post by solatic »

sschueller wrote: post #57
josh2600 wrote: post #30

I'm fine with AT&T no longer supporting landlines if they start supporting fiber to every household. US broadband is a joke compared to many other parts of the world.

At least every home that has copper should get fiber. The excuse that the US is too big or we can't do it is bull. You did it before for electricity and telephone. It just requires competency, money and an infrastructure that isn't for profit. Don't get me wrong, the services provided on the infrastructure can definitely be for profit but not the glass itself.

> It just requires competency, money and an infrastructure that isn't for profit.

Or massive government financing! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_Electrification_Act

Re: AT&T applies to end obligation to service landlines in California

#97

Post by zdragnar »

ben_w wrote: post #92
sys_64738 wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I wonder if that's because the USA is that stupid The USA is a continent made up of 50 countries [states]. Think European Union. Most people don't grasp or understand the sheer size.

Canada is bigger than the USA, and is a distinct part of the same continent. Merely being big isn't a good argument.

Canada is also not great at providing high speed Internet outside of the more populated regions.

Re: AT&T applies to end obligation to service landlines in California

#98

Post by linsomniac »

Or they could just do what Century Link has done here in Colorado: Let it rot in the ground. The pedestals around all seem to have lost their covers and are just sitting exposed to the elements, an eyesore (and they were no beauty to begin with :-)

Re: AT&T applies to end obligation to service landlines in California

#99

Post by fortran77 »

My 90 year old mother can't always figure out her cell phone. The land line is what she uses most. I don't care what the specific technology is, but a phone that's plugged in, and always available (no "off" switch) and just makes and receives calls with the familiar UI (lift phone off hook, enter number on keypad) is still a requirement for many people.

Re: AT&T applies to end obligation to service landlines in California

#100

Post by ben_w »

zdragnar wrote: post #97
ben_w wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Canada is bigger than the USA, and is a distinct part of the same continent. Merely being big isn't a good argument.

Canada is also not great at providing high speed Internet outside of the more populated regions.

Most of the test results I've seen, mobile and landline, place it above the USA.

You'd have to give a careful and precise definition of what your care about in order to get a more nuanced answer, which is kind of the same point I was driving at by saying "being big isn't a good argument".

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