VoIP vs Landline

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

In message <[email protected]>, sticks

phone into a wall jack. This is what most of us would refer to as a
landline in common conversation. If asked whether we use POTS or VoIP,
you can always get more specific.

I'm not sure the term "landline" has reached universal familiarity yet,
especially among the non-technical or elderly. I think "mobile 'phone"
(UK) or "cellphone" [or "cellular 'phone"] (US) _are_ nearing 100%
familiarity, but what to call the rest - "normal", perhaps? (Or
"other"?) Though I agree "home" (or office if you need to distinguish)
is good, and short. (Short is usually good in itself.)

As to whether people would _know_ whether the non-mobile is POTS or
VoIP, some people (in some countries only?) would know by the number,
some would not. I think.

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

In message <[email protected]>, Gene E. Bloch

OTOH, I don't play guitar.

Depends what you're doing with TOH perhaps? (Doesn't playing guitar
normally require both hands anyway?)

 

[Bob Henson]

I know; most people do the same sort of thing. I don't.

I play a Martin D-35.

To me, there are two kinds of such instruments: guitars and electric
guitars.

Ah, but to the youngsters, there are two kinds of instruments: guitars
and acoustic guitars. I play a Yamaha FG-365Sii. And a Banjo - an
acoustic banjo

 

[Roger Mills]

Yes, of course. I, and everyone else in this thread, understand that.

However my starting point was that, leaving aside the technical
differences between your a and c, they are identical. If you were to
come into my house, and pick up the phone to make a call, you wouldn't
be able to tell whether it was a or c. You could certainly tell if it
were b.

Indeed. But I was also making the point that you could, in some
circumstances use a mobile/cell phone to make c-type calls.
--
Cheers,
Roger
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[Roger Mills]

As to whether people would _know_ whether the non-mobile is POTS or
VoIP, some people (in some countries only?) would know by the number,
some would not. I think.

You wouldn't know in the UK. My VoIP numbers look just like ordinary
POTS numbers, using the same local (STD) code as my landline. If you
delved into the subscriber number part, you might detect that it was in
a range allocated to a VoIP provider, but you've have to dig deep to
find that.
--
Cheers,
Roger
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Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
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[Steve Hayes]

In message <[email protected]>, sticks

phone into a wall jack. This is what most of us would refer to as a
landline in common conversation. If asked whether we use POTS or VoIP,
you can always get more specific.

I'm not sure the term "landline" has reached universal familiarity yet,
especially among the non-technical or elderly. I think "mobile 'phone"
(UK) or "cellphone" [or "cellular 'phone"] (US) _are_ nearing 100%
familiarity, but what to call the rest - "normal", perhaps? (Or
"other"?) Though I agree "home" (or office if you need to distinguish)
is good, and short. (Short is usually good in itself.)

I suppose it depends on where you live and how many options you have.

To me "landline" means the copper wires that connect the phones in my house to
the local telephone exchange.

And through it I get my ADSL service which provides VoIP as well.

I use it mostly for connecting to the internet. I make about 3 traditional
phone calls a month.

And I also use it as Wi-Fi for my cell phone.

The alternative for the cell phone is 3G, which is more expensive.

In the USA they have something called "cable", which sounds like a landline to
me as well (ie not wireless).

I could do things the other way round, by "tethering" my cellphone so that my
home computer could use that instead of the landline to access the Internet,
but it is *much* more expensive, and I'd only use it in an emergency.

So even my cellphone uses the landline for data, except when I'm away from
home and out of range.

..

 

[Ken Blake]

As to whether people would _know_ whether the non-mobile is POTS or
VoIP, some people (in some countries only?) would know by the number,
some would not. I think.

I don't know whether it's possible to do that in the US or not, but I
know that I wouldn't know.

 

[Ken Blake]

To me "landline" means the copper wires that connect the phones in my house to
the local telephone exchange.

Leaving aside the technical definition of "land line," to me the term
has always seemed to mean a phone that is tethered to the land,
whether by copper wires or by something else, and whether to the local
telephone exchange or somewhere else, as opposed to a cell phone--one
that operates wirelessly.

Now before someone tells me that you can have a wireless phone that is
a POTS land line, yes I know. But the wireless access is over a short
distance, and you not only have to have the wireless phone, but you
also have to have the wired station it connects to. And that wired
station *is* wired.

 

[Ken Blake]

Ah, but to the youngsters, there are two kinds of instruments: guitars
and acoustic guitars.


I play a Yamaha FG-365Sii.

I have several guitars, but my main one is, like yours, a
dreadnought--a Martin D-35.

And a Banjo - an acoustic banjo

Me too. Are there electric banjos? (I shouldn't ask. Despite my never
having seen or heard of one, the answer, almost certainly, is yes).

 

[Ken Blake]

In message <[email protected]>, Gene E. Bloch

Depends what you're doing with TOH perhaps? (Doesn't playing guitar
normally require both hands anyway?)

LOL!

 

[Bob Henson]

I have several guitars, but my main one is, like yours, a
dreadnought--a Martin D-35.


Me too. Are there electric banjos? (I shouldn't ask. Despite my never
having seen or heard of one, the answer, almost certainly, is yes).

There probably is, but I was just being facetious

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

On Sun, 21 Apr 2013 09:16:43 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"

I'm not sure the term "landline" has reached universal familiarity yet,
especially among the non-technical or elderly. I think "mobile 'phone"
(UK) or "cellphone" [or "cellular 'phone"] (US) _are_ nearing 100%

[]
I suppose it depends on where you live and how many options you have.

To me "landline" means the copper wires that connect the phones in my house to
the local telephone exchange.

Oh, to me too. I just don't think the actual word "landline" is
universally familiar to all.

And through it I get my ADSL service which provides VoIP as well.

I use it mostly for connecting to the internet. I make about 3 traditional
phone calls a month.

I was with you until there ...

And I also use it as Wi-Fi for my cell phone.

.... then that threw me ...

The alternative for the cell phone is 3G, which is more expensive.

.... and then I realised you meant as wi-fi for the non-phone aspects of
your cell phone (i. e. internet access, for app.s and so on).

In the USA they have something called "cable", which sounds like a landline to
me as well (ie not wireless).

AIUI, that's mainly provision of TV by private companies (or at least,
as distinguished from POTS which used to be provided by "Ma Bell", but
some decades ago). I think some of those companies provide POTS-type
landline 'phone too now though.

I could do things the other way round, by "tethering" my cellphone so that my
home computer could use that instead of the landline to access the Internet,
but it is *much* more expensive, and I'd only use it in an emergency.

Indeed. Much the same here in the UK.

So even my cellphone uses the landline for data, except when I'm away from
home and out of range.

If you'd put the "for data" bit in earlier, I'd have been less confused
(-:

.

Since I wrote that, I've realised that in the UK, the only distinction
most people would recognise is between mobile/cellular (which start 07)
and fixed (01 and 02, for ordinary lines). The companies that offer VoIP
usually offer an 01 or 02 type number, I think, so someone calling it
_wouldn't_ know.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

(If you are unlucky you may choose one of the old-fashioned ones [language
schools] and be taught English as it should be, and not as it is, spoken.)
George Mikes, "How to be Decadent" (1977).

 

[Paul]

I don't know whether it's possible to do that in the US or not, but I
know that I wouldn't know.

There is such a thing as "number portability", at least,
where the regulations are actually respected by the telephone
company.

For example here, we're supposed to have number portability,
meaning I can transfer my POTS phone number to a VOIP system
(or vice versa). Except the telephone company is now refusing
number portability on the basis of "technical reasons". Which
means they're attempt to do a "stop loss" on their $50 a month
POTS service, by refusing to allow you to take your telephone
number with you.

My bank knows my telephone number. If I move over to VOIP, and
have to get a brand new telephone number, then I have to inform
everyone (bank) of the new number. Number portability was
supposed to prevent that from happening.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_number_portability

"Canada, South Africa and the United States are the only
countries that offer full number portability transfers
between both fixed lines and mobile phone lines"

Yeah, except when not doing so, suits the telephone company
(monopoly) purpose.

Paul

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

I don't know whether it's possible to do that in the US or not, but
I
know that I wouldn't know.

There is such a thing as "number portability", at least,
where the regulations are actually respected by the telephone
company.

For example here, we're supposed to have number portability,
meaning I can transfer my POTS phone number to a VOIP system
(or vice versa). Except the telephone company is now refusing
number portability on the basis of "technical reasons". Which[/QUOTE]

1. Does the company you were thinking of transferring to have anything
to say about that?
2. If not, is there some sort of telecomm.s regulator, or consumer
protection agency (in UK, it would be OfCom or the local Trading
Standards) who can force them?

means they're attempt to do a "stop loss" on their $50 a month

(I don't know the term "stop loss", though I can guess.) Wow, $50 a
month; I thought ours were expensive! (Usually around 8 to 13 pounds a
month for "line rental" plus evening and weekend calls to landlines, and
usually about a fiver on top of that to change "evening and weekend" to
"anytime".)

POTS service, by refusing to allow you to take your telephone
number with you.

My bank knows my telephone number. If I move over to VOIP, and
have to get a brand new telephone number, then I have to inform
everyone (bank) of the new number. Number portability was
supposed to prevent that from happening.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_number_portability

"Canada, South Africa and the United States are the only
countries that offer full number portability transfers
between both fixed lines and mobile phone lines"

Yeah, except when not doing so, suits the telephone company
(monopoly) purpose.

Paul

We (UK) have such an obligation for mobile (cellular) numbers; I'm not
sure if we have it for landline ones, though I think we do - for
transfers between POTS companies. I don't think we have it for
POTS-to-VoIP, though.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

(If you are unlucky you may choose one of the old-fashioned ones [language
schools] and be taught English as it should be, and not as it is, spoken.)
George Mikes, "How to be Decadent" (1977).

 

[...winston]

"Ken Blake" wrote in message
Me too. Are there electric banjos? (I shouldn't ask. Despite my never
having seen or heard of one, the answer, almost certainly, is yes).Yes there are. Don't seem them in use very often and they look like ***electric*** guitars (solid body with 5 strings).

Years ago I saw Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) play one live in concert (he started on a regular banjo and switched to an electric banjo
during a short drum and keyboard interlude before the final verse) on a rewritten/rearranged song called Gallow's Pole (considered
'Traditional' and earlier popularized by Ledbelly as Gallis Pole).

 

[Ken Blake]

"Ken Blake" wrote in message

Me too. Are there electric banjos? (I shouldn't ask. Despite my never
having seen or heard of one, the answer, almost certainly, is yes).
Yes there are. Don't seem them in use very often and they look like ***electric*** guitars (solid body with 5 strings).

Thanks. Pretty much what I suspected.

 

[Ant]

To me "landline" means the copper wires that connect the phones in my house to
the local telephone exchange.

Me too, but then aren't all cable lines (coppers, fiber, etc.) consider
land? But then I have seen them on poles so not really on lands. Oy!

I think of VoIP as voice IP (address)? Copper phone lines don't do that
unless it is on the Internet. Argh.
--
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roaches scatter, but the ants keep marching. You can step on them, throw
water on them, but they keep on marching. I want ants for my defense."
--Willy Shaw
/\___/\ Ant(Dude) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
/ /\ /\ \ Ant's Quality Foraged Links: http://aqfl.net
| |o o| |
\ _ / If crediting, then use Ant nickname and AQFL URL/link.
( ) If e-mailing, then axe ANT from its address if needed.
A song is/was playing on this computer: Johann Sebastian Bach - Toccata
Al Fugue (Techno Mix)

 

[Steve Hayes]

On Sun, 21 Apr 2013 09:16:43 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"

I'm not sure the term "landline" has reached universal familiarity yet,
especially among the non-technical or elderly. I think "mobile 'phone"
(UK) or "cellphone" [or "cellular 'phone"] (US) _are_ nearing 100%

[]
I suppose it depends on where you live and how many options you have.

To me "landline" means the copper wires that connect the phones in my house to
the local telephone exchange.

Oh, to me too. I just don't think the actual word "landline" is
universally familiar to all.

It's certainly in common use here, to distinguish it from a wireless
(mobile/cell) phone.

So I might say to someone "Call me on my landline, it's cheaper."

I was with you until there ...

... then that threw me ...

... and then I realised you meant as wi-fi for the non-phone aspects of
your cell phone (i. e. internet access, for app.s and so on).

That's right.

We have a wireless router, which is connected to the landline for ADSL. When
at home, my desktop computer connects to it by an Ethernet cable, while my
laptop and cell phone connect to it wirelessly.

When I leave home, my cellphone switches to 3G, which is more expensive.

AIUI, that's mainly provision of TV by private companies (or at least,
as distinguished from POTS which used to be provided by "Ma Bell", but
some decades ago). I think some of those companies provide POTS-type
landline 'phone too now though.

Indeed. Much the same here in the UK.
If you'd put the "for data" bit in earlier, I'd have been less confused

Sorry!

Of course for voice calls it is wireless all the way to the nearest cell mast.

Since I wrote that, I've realised that in the UK, the only distinction
most people would recognise is between mobile/cellular (which start 07)
and fixed (01 and 02, for ordinary lines). The companies that offer VoIP
usually offer an 01 or 02 type number, I think, so someone calling it
_wouldn't_ know.

I use VoIP on my landline for speaking to my daughter in Greece through Skype,
which doesn't seem to need to know numbers at all.

She used to call us by straight phone, dialling the number, when her contract
with the phone company included calls to South Africa in the cost. Now she has
a different contract, and would have to pay for each call, so Skype is
cheaper. It is also a lot easier to hear through my laptop computer's speakers
than through the phone handset.

 

[Steve Hayes]

Me too, but then aren't all cable lines (coppers, fiber, etc.) consider
land? But then I have seen them on poles so not really on lands. Oy!

Indeed. They've start3ed replacing a lot of coppe3r with fibre optic cable in
an attempt to deter cable thieves.

I think of VoIP as voice IP (address)? Copper phone lines don't do that
unless it is on the Internet. Argh.

Well I connect to the internet through copper phone cables, using ADSL. And
Skype, which is VoIP, uses the same line.

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

On Sun, 21 Apr 2013 20:56:28 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"


It's certainly in common use here, to distinguish it from a wireless
(mobile/cell) phone.

Becoming common here too, though perhaps more so among those of us who
are into comm.s anyway. I still think some - especially elderly - folk
(especially if they only have a landline 'phone) might not know it.
[]

I use VoIP on my landline for speaking to my daughter in Greece through Skype,
which doesn't seem to need to know numbers at all.

No, not if both of you are at a computer. Some companies who provide
VoIP, however (I _think_ Skype do this too), offer a number (sometimes
for a charge, sometimes free) which you can give that can be called by
anyone from a normal landline (or mobile for that matter) 'phone, which
connects to your VoIP.
[]