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FarCenter

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33. The FCC used to require the phone companies to report outages

Fri Feb 3, 2012, 11:30 AM

Feb 2012

Every time a switching center was out for more than some number of minutes it was reported. Also reported were smaller outages when they met a threshold of some number of lines for some number of minutes.

Of course, that was when we had regulated telecommunications utilities.

Now it is buyer beware, but I don't think there is any way a buyer can find out objective data about service availability statistics for the various companies.

These days, even if you have wire coming into your house, it doesn't mean that there is wire all the way to the central office. Many lines come from the nearest equipment vault which is powered off commercial power with battery backup, similar to the arrangements for cell towers.

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Comcast could have killed my husband tonight. I'm furious. [View all] DebJ Feb 2012 OP

That is the problem with having everything tied to one cable company Also ... Tx4obama Feb 2012 #1

Same here hobbit709 Feb 2012 #7

Rather than trying to make a voice call during times of intermittent cell service text instead NNN0LHI Feb 2012 #14

Me, too. GoCubsGo Feb 2012 #19

I'm thinking about going back to WalMart to buy another old-fashioned phone ... Tx4obama Feb 2012 #26

AT&T provides a battery backup to its router. Fawke Em Feb 2012 #25

That was my same position for many years DebJ Feb 2012 #40

This is exactly why I don't believe in bundling... ALWAYS have a land line Ecumenist Feb 2012 #2

This is very helpful to know. Thanks for posting. pacalo Feb 2012 #3

Thanks for posting that. I will not be using COMCAST for my phone service. - n/t Jim__ Feb 2012 #4

it wasnt comcast that could have killed your husband rdking647 Feb 2012 #5

On a side note, even land-lines can go down ... especially if a tree falls on the wire outside Tx4obama Feb 2012 #8

We switched away from landlines after two 4-day outages within four months. gkhouston Feb 2012 #59

Yep, don't be too quick to abandon landlines customerserviceguy Feb 2012 #13

And here comes the scold who knows other peoples exact financial situations MattBaggins Feb 2012 #22

No, it WAS Comcast. Gormy Cuss Feb 2012 #35

My point is we did not know of this planned, scheduled outage of service. DebJ Feb 2012 #44

my landline died while my DSL part kept working. ileus Feb 2012 #64

Is there any cheap pre-paid or no-plan cell service? JustABozoOnThisBus Feb 2012 #6

Yep you are right about that. Thanks. DebJ Feb 2012 #47

Any cell phone with a charge can still call 9-1-1 even if not activated. alphafemale Feb 2012 #9

I pay too much for service, but I have cable from one company, phone from another, and internet from MADem Feb 2012 #10

Welcome to the land of unregulated utilities TexasProgresive Feb 2012 #11

Unfortunatly those are the risks with VOIP liberal N proud Feb 2012 #12

I don't know how much you pay for the bundle. My friend paid $167.00 a month for tsuki Feb 2012 #15

Thanks a lot! Appreciate it. DebJ Feb 2012 #48

See if your area has a buycott group. They can help you. nt tsuki Feb 2012 #58

Go with Consumer Cellular. ananda Feb 2012 #16

File a complaint with the FCC Klukie Feb 2012 #17

They FCC doesn't regulate Cable aptal Feb 2012 #43

Yes they do Klukie Feb 2012 #75

Please read before you post... aptal Feb 2012 #79

My hubby complained to the FCC about service..or lack of service I should say (reliability issues) Klukie Feb 2012 #80

Again... for the slow... aptal Feb 2012 #82

Again...for those who refuse to believe it... he complained to the FCC and they responded. Klukie Feb 2012 #86

Again... aptal Feb 2012 #87

K and R...nt Stuart G Feb 2012 #18

Any real phone service would fail subscribers over to a second cluster node to do PMs tjwash Feb 2012 #20

Yep. MadrasT Feb 2012 #53

That happened to my parents about 2 years ago around November. LiberalFighter Feb 2012 #21

You don't need a phone plan to call 911 jeff47 Feb 2012 #23

Really? Wow! That is great news. I do have an old plug in phone DebJ Feb 2012 #49

Yeah. I posted same above. alphafemale Feb 2012 #69

ATT has 5 and 10 dollar a month senior/disabled services sammytko Feb 2012 #24

This message was self-deleted by its author Obamanaut Feb 2012 #27

That's okay, I gave the OP a REC to balance your desired unrec. :) Zalatix Feb 2012 #36

This message was self-deleted by its author Obamanaut Feb 2012 #42

Everything, eh? Hyperbole much? Zalatix Feb 2012 #45

This message was self-deleted by its author Obamanaut Feb 2012 #60

"about" everything? HYPERBOLE much? And what if I don't step away from the keyboard? Zalatix Feb 2012 #70

So Wait NeedleCast Feb 2012 #28

I beg to differ renate Feb 2012 #34

There's this other tidbit jeff47 Feb 2012 #51

A few things: DebJ Feb 2012 #55

Indeed, the point is most certainly this Zalatix Feb 2012 #71

I reviewed my Comcast agreement, and guess what... Dreamer Tatum Feb 2012 #76

Dear Comcast Employee #__________ D Crane May 2014 #88

Internet Based VoIP services have different rules and regulations, You should read the fine print snooper2 Feb 2012 #29

Headline Should Read.... NCTraveler Feb 2012 #30

can't make decisions with no information provided byComcast ahead of time to make them DebJ Feb 2012 #56

Verizon is just as bad Patiod Feb 2012 #31

a couple of things dembotoz Feb 2012 #32

The FCC used to require the phone companies to report outages FarCenter Feb 2012 #33

This is one reason I maintain a land line that I ordinarily don't need Cleita Feb 2012 #37

You don't need to jeff47 Feb 2012 #52

Thank you. That's good to know. n/t Cleita Feb 2012 #74

Get a basic land line with no frills. Should cost about 18/month ecstatic Feb 2012 #38

If you don't subscribe to long distance it can be cheaper. Hatchling Feb 2012 #39

You don't have to subscribe to anything, including local service jeff47 Feb 2012 #54

Thats true. Hatchling Feb 2012 #77

The old "Bell System" is probably a better choice One_Life_To_Give Feb 2012 #41

as long as you didn't drop it on your foot, LOL DebJ Feb 2012 #57

Frequent scheduled maintenance outages? PatSeg Feb 2012 #46

And this is why we still have a land line nadinbrzezinski Feb 2012 #50

Having only VOIP when you need an emergency line is a BIG NO-NO. Snake Alchemist Feb 2012 #61

When I signed up for my Comcast, I had to acknowledge that possibility. Dreamer Tatum Feb 2012 #62

the regulated land line service providers were (and perhaps still are) required to provide Warren Stupidity Feb 2012 #63

what if the ambulance broke down on the way? still comcasts fault? ileus Feb 2012 #65

I have Comcast and have experienced several outages. RebelOne Feb 2012 #66

Remember Jay Leno's joke about Comcast? tawadi Feb 2012 #67

So what's your plan once you know about all scheduled outages? B2G Feb 2012 #68

The Winner. nt Snake Alchemist Feb 2012 #72

Any problem after today is on YOU! BOHICA12 Feb 2012 #73

Why don't you just get a landline? And why pay for Comcast or any cable? behold a pale horse Feb 2012 #78

Nationalize Comcast zorahopkins Feb 2012 #81

I'm sorry, but Comcast is not the problem here. cleanhippie Feb 2012 #83

re: "but does Verizon now do this? If I switch to FIOS, is it the same?" YES. AND THEY TRICKED ME cyberpj Feb 2012 #84

Customer service reps routinely lie and call unplanned outages "scheduled maintenance." TacoD Feb 2012 #85