Even if the ring wasn't for you, it let you know who was getting a call. If you were the nosy nellie on the block, you could pick up the phone and find out what the neighbor was up to.
I will always have a soft spot for the copper pair communications.
In December of last year I had to make the choice. The little local telco/cable/internet provider was building out fiber service. Go with fiber or pay extra to cover the maintenance of the copper. Seriously?
I had real problems with the justification, but I had done fiber replacement for copper systems that were problematic and prone to failure.
So now with this bundled service, I'm listening to my streaming audio over the internet and it dies. I try to check the site and no response.
I check other websites and nothing. Email, just the same.
Well shit! Just switch over to TV and watch some stupid shit.
Woops! Nothing there. Pick up the telephone to call for service? Dead.
Good thing I wasn't dying or something.
That copper pair was sort of the lowest common denominator, the one thing you could rely on to work. It was required by law. A central office has to have backup power to keep it working for(if I remember) at least 24 hours. That's pretty good since I've been through weeks without power but the first days are the important ones.
Now that my only connection is that fiber the backup on the interface is only 8 hours. I can and will fix that but it it will be an additional expense to me. Just another way to offset the cost of doing business to the customer.
Got your Ham License and transmitter?
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