On 4/17/2021 5:17 AM, Sqwertz wrote:
> On Fri, 16 Apr 2021 23:00:28 -0400, Michael Trew wrote:
>
>> I have a back-up dial up plan that costs $4.85/mo in case the DSL goes
>> out.
>
> Wait a second.....
>
> You pay $45/mo for a land line ON TOP of what you pay already pay
> for DSL over that same copper. PLUS a $5/mo extra for "backup
> dial-up internet" - that also goes out through the same copper, plus
> $5 for long distance - also copper?
>
> And 5 minutes later you say that you enjoy "peace of mind and
> reliability copper gives you">
>
> You do know that if one goes out, THEY ALL GO OUT, right? When your
> DSL goes out you also have no phone line to use your $5/mo "backup
> dialup plan" either. No Phone. No Internet, No dialup. And no cell
> phone (because cell phones don't charge $05/minute for domestic).
> You could just to landline VoIP over your DSL and have the EXACT
> SAME RELIABLITY! OMG! Dude, just get Vonage or something and screw
> that $40/mo and the $5/backup plan.
>
> DSL does not go out while phone service remains active - they both
> go out at the same time! Your phone may have a dialtone, but it will
> not dial out if DSL is also out.
>
> -sw


Well, there's more to it than that. My DSL was actually out for 2 weeks
- first time I've ever had an outage - through this February. The
Internet icon was out. I spoke with people that work for AT&T off the
record and they said a piece of legacy equipment upstream from the DSLAM
failed, and they had to scrounge for parts to repair it, since the parts
are no longer made.

Anyway, the crappy dial up plan did work, and I've never been without a
dial tone. Also, to be fair, I use the dial up plan a few hours a month
to toy around with old computers. I have a 1994 Gateway2K sitting on my
desk, hooked up next to the computer that I'm currently using. It has
DOS 6.2/Windows 3.11 on it, and it's fun to fire it up from time to
time. I don't know any other way to get it on-line aside from that dial
up plan and the internal 28K modem. Again, it's for my amusement
purposes when I'm bored.

I do have a cell phone, and they also charge me 5 cents/min for calls.
The nice thing is that I'm only charged 5 cents/min - nothing more. I
use maybe $5/mo on that prepaid plan... good luck finding cheaper cell
service than that. It's a legacy plan through T-Mobile. Yes, I'm aware
that I could dump the long distance and just call long distance through
my cell, but I hate to use my cell. I like the quality and feel of the
old Western Electric handsets. My cell only goes on when I'm leaving my
house.