Traditional landlines set to be axed in next four years in major shake-up

I have to go out MaizieD. So I'll go with a question...

How do you think the analogue phone networks we use today are powered?

I'm not being facetious but we need to look at our whole electricity usage across the board.

Yes, we use our mobile phones via our BT broadband connection which is plugged into our landline. Only in a power cut is it necessary to go for a walk into the Village.
I can’t see that our Broadband will be affected without BT offering us an alternative.

Alegrias1

I have to go out MaizieD. So I'll go with a question...

How do you think the analogue phone networks we use today are powered?

I'm not being facetious but we need to look at our whole electricity usage across the board.

How do you think the analogue phone networks we use today are powered?

Well, I had thought of that, Alegrias, but I have absolutely no idea of what the comparative costs are and what the vulnerabilities of the analogue network are. I have never known the analogue network go down to such an extent that it disrupts thousands of phone lines; they seemed to survive all the 1970s power cuts without any bother. But take out a 'cloud' facility, or cut the power to it and you're talking about catastrophe...

I absolutely appreciate the arguments in favour of digital networks but we seem to be becoming dependent on technology of mind boggling complexity, coupled with people always ready, and able, to exploit any vulnerabilities for nefarious ends... this Cassandra isn't terribly confident.

But perhaps you can put my mind at rest

I only use a mobile to make calls. I have no contract for calls on the landline. I could ring out on it and would in an emergency but don't know what they would charge me for that. Only three people have the number. Two prefer to ring it. My daughter has it in case I leave the mobile in my handbag in the bedroom (and she panics)

I don't always dial a call on the mobile. I might use FaceBook Messenger (video or voice), WhatsApp Video Call or Zoom (for family meetings) on the phone or laptop or even Kindle.

However, I do need the phone line to have internet provision. I have no why BT are the only providers though; perhaps they aren't?

I'm just thinking of getting my TV via the internet using Amazon Fire Stick. That is going to take some instruction as I need to understand what I am doing

I quite fancy an Apple Watch (think Star Trek). When I told my DD she asked why and burst out laughing when I said "because it has a Fall Alarm". Technology is for the older generation; no one will convince me otherwise.

25Avalon

I was advised, a few years back admittedly, to keep a landline phone ready to plug in and use in an emergency, in case the electricity was down or the mobile server was down.

That's exactly why I keep an old style non-cordless phone for the landline.

A power cut starting at a time my mobile battery is low could mean both the mobile and cordless landline being out of action.

I really don't like our huge reliance on the internet.

Did you mind our reliance on the Electricity Grid FarNorth? I can't see the difference although I would agree the internet provision could be improved.

MaizieD

Alegrias1

I have to go out MaizieD. So I'll go with a question...

How do you think the analogue phone networks we use today are powered?

I'm not being facetious but we need to look at our whole electricity usage across the board.

How do you think the analogue phone networks we use today are powered?

Well, I had thought of that, Alegrias, but I have absolutely no idea of what the comparative costs are and what the vulnerabilities of the analogue network are. I have never known the analogue network go down to such an extent that it disrupts thousands of phone lines; they seemed to survive all the 1970s power cuts without any bother. But take out a 'cloud' facility, or cut the power to it and you're talking about catastrophe...

I absolutely appreciate the arguments in favour of digital networks but we seem to be becoming dependent on technology of mind boggling complexity, coupled with people always ready, and able, to exploit any vulnerabilities for nefarious ends... this Cassandra isn't terribly confident.

But perhaps you can put my mind at rest

Well I'm not responsible for defending the decisions made by the infrastructure provider but in general digital systems are more efficient to run than analogue ones. They are certainly more fault tolerant and hence probably less likely to fail.

WRT the risks of being "taken out", I'd build redundancy into the system; maybe by having a mirror set of servers in a different location, probably in a different country.

I agree with PippaZ; our reliance on the internet is a bit like our reliance on the electricity grid. Its where we are now.

Well I'm not responsible for defending the decisions made by the infrastructure provider

I appreciate that, Alegrias. I just wondered if you, or someone, might understand it better than I do.

As I said. I understand the advantages of digital. Just have those niggling worries about security and power supply.

I'm getting my excuses in quick MaizieD

I can’t get the whole article but the first paragraph gives you an idea of how much electricity the internet uses.

fortune.com/2019/09/18/internet-cloud-server-data-center-energy-consumption-renewable-coal/

I'm sure that people are not reading the whole thread Alegrias1

There is no need to panic about mobile reception, power cuts, extra cost (although mobile phone contracts are better value than landline ones!) etc.

It is just how calls are delivered that's changing.
I have compared it to when the TVs changed to digital....the same TV only different!!!

MerylStreep

I can’t get the whole article but the first paragraph gives you an idea of how much electricity the internet uses.

fortune.com/2019/09/18/internet-cloud-server-data-center-energy-consumption-renewable-coal/

Thanks, Meryl

And what about this one?

science.time.com/2013/08/14/power-drain-the-digital-cloud-is-using-more-energy-than-you-think/

MaizieD
Thank you for that.
I remember watching a program some time ago where they showed you the graphics worldwide with this “problem”
It’s was truly amazing.
I’m afraid to say that the majority of people are unaware of the cost, and I don’t mean hard cash, I mean environmentally.

Pittcity, but doesn't this change mean that everyone will have to get an internet connection, many people don't have that, so it's extra money to pay.

As our village often loses electrical supply we will be going back to the dark ages.

welbeck

Pittcity, but doesn't this change mean that everyone will have to get an internet connection, many people don't have that, so it's extra money to pay.

I shouldn't think so. They'll have to change the infrastructure to hook everyone up. I'm sure we'll all be informed in due course. No point in worrying until then.

The BBC has an article on this today. www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-58233420

We have almost no mobile signal here and the best we get on the internet is 8mbps and it’s more likely to be 5mbps. There is no fibre BB here either. (Scottish govt has been promising to upgrade this area for years but every time the date gets close it gets kicked another two years down the road.)