I really like using a "real" phone.

[benhutcherson]

I currently have my '55 red 500 hooked up on my desk, and it's such a nice and pleasant phone to use.

Unfortunately, our phone service(basically VOIP set up and maintained by the cable company) doesn't permit rotary dialing. I've noticed, though, that OPW has a new pulse to tone converter that's really catching my eye, especially since it has double-digit prevention built in. I may invest in a couple of those.

Cell phone call quality is really hit or miss, in my experience, and I'd be happy if I could completely dispense with it. Unfortunately, though, I think that the cell phone is here to stay, and such is life as a college student that it's pretty much a necessity. Our dorm rooms are still wired for land lines, but they only get turned on if you specifically request them to be. I imagine that the next ones they build won't be wired for land lines at all.

[rp2813]

Ben, I think it's the "Rota-tone" that you've described for converting a rotary phone to touchtone.  I considered retrofitting my '50 500 with one of those but after I got laid off, the conference calls stopped and the need was no longer there.  Also, when reading up a little, it seemed that these devices might have performance issues when installed on an early 500 that has the separate equalizer.  I'd be interested in finding out how these perform, so be sure to post something here if you go for it with OPW and install one.

As for the fate of the land line, I presume they'll remain a staple for businesses and there is certainly the national security issue that will require a good portion of that system to remain in place, but I can see how the land line could fade from residential service.  However, with fiber optics carrying the high speed lines into homes now, tacking voice service onto them shouldn't be a big deal.  It will likely be an "extra" for those who feel they need it.  I don't ever plan on not having a land line.  It'll still work in spite of solar flares, most natural disasters, or satellite sabotage.

Ralph

[jsowers]

From what I understand, the fire code in my area requires a land line for a fire alarm to report back in case of emergency. We have several of those alarms in our schools and can't convert them to an ATA (analog telephone adapter) for VoIP. We do have battery backup units on our IP switches and internet access, but I can see the point of using a land line in case of fire or emergency. We also have a land line connected to an analog phone in each school office in case of emergency. Mostly they sit there gathering dust, but we have used them a few times.

One of the best advantages they have is land lines work when the power is out. Here in NC we have ice storms in the winter and several years ago we had a huge ice storm. We had no power for two days and a large tree limb took out my mom's power, phone and cable lines. I had to call it all in from my house two houses down the road. It took several additional days for all the lines to be repaired once the tree branch was cleared and power was restored to the neighborhood. And combined with my laptop and dialup, I could still get online briefly while the power was out. We're also affected by hurricanes too, even as inland as we are, and it's in times like those I'm glad I still have a land line.

About six months ago I investigated getting a cable modem and faster internet. All the salespeople at the phone company, I hate to say it, lied to me and said I could keep dialup with the cable modem. I found out they were wrong from a tech support person at the phone company, after they cut off my dialup when I postponed the installation a week. So I called it all off. I'm staying with dialup for the time being and I may investigate the cable company instead. I hate having to change my email address, though. I've had the same one for about seven years and the service is very good. The cable modem and the amp box out at the road will all go dead when the power goes out.

[rp2813]

I can understand how dial-up wouldn't be accommodated by a cable modem, but having worked for AT&T it seems to me that you could still use dial-up over their facilities, even if they're fiber.  I'm a little confused because phone companies and cable modems are mutually exclusive terms.   Considering that the focus long ago shifted from service to sales with the local telephone providers, SBC/AT&T in particular, I am not surprised that the representatives are giving out false information.  Whether it's intentional is debatable.  The customer service reps are constantly slammed with new promotions and packages and aren't provided the adequate  training and coverage about how they work or any of the limitations surrounding a particular type of service.  This is just a sad state of affairs that began when SBC started swallowing up all the Baby Bells and proceeded to crack the whip to sell, sell, sell, and there is apparently no end in sight for this practice. 

Ralph

[jsowers]

Just a little clarification, Ralph. It's an independent telco that serves my area. They also offer cable TV service and cable modems that compete with Time-Warner RoadRunner. We actually have a choice, unlike most people. I really like the phone company's rates on their cable modem service, and once they did offer both dialup and cable modem at the same time and boasted dialup numbers at other locations throughout the state so people could check their mail, etc. on the road. I guess with more and more motels offering wi-fi, that kind of fell by the wayside. And that's what they failed to communicate to their salespeople. So it wasn't an intentional lie they told, but they were all poorly informed. I got it from more than one rep.

My last words to the tech support person were that they needed to tell their salespeople that dialup went away with a cable modem. And I agree that sell, sell, sell seems to be the focus and it's sad. I think I may be able to pay extra and get dialup and cable modem together, but that's no bargain.

[benhutcherson]

Ralph,

I've read up on the Rotatone, which I had rejected because I don't really want to modify my phones(even if it's not permanent) and I have so many I like to alternate between that I could never afford to outfit them.

What I'm talking about is a stand-alone pulse to tone converter that goes in series with the telephone, external to it. The one OPW sells is around $40, and has the advantage of filtering out the pulses, which keeps you from getting double digits in certain situations.

The external converter is very desirable to me, since I can use it for several telephones at the same time.

Here it is

http://www.oldphoneworks.com/pulse-to-tone-converter.html

[Holtzer-Cabot]

I agree with the original post here.  My '50 500 sits on my desk and is my "main" phone.   I've stated here before that I neglected 500's until recently and never had anything newer than a 302 hooked up for a vintage phone.  I pulled my '50 500 from storage when I started dialing into conference calls from home.  The handset feels beefy, it's perfectly sized, easy to cradle, reception is second to none, the black sets are masculine in their design, and I, too like the "clunk" of a bakelite G1 against a soft plastic cradle.  I don't think another sound made by any other device comes close to speaking "durability" loud and clear like that clunk does.  All I have hooked up around here now are 500's.  Four of them ranging from 1950 to 1959 and they all ring.  Only a cheap pushbutton Trimline knock-off survives in the kitchen for practical purposes, but even that one has an old-timey sound to its real bell.

Long live POTS!

Ralph

I agree 100%! I am 14, and I will take my '59 and '61 500s over any modern phone! I hate the electronic 'warble' that modern phones make, nothing beats the Western Electric 500 ringer! I have a lot more phones, I just like my 500s the best!