AT&T Discontinuing Land Line Service

mt999999 · 2025-01-23T18:56:39+00:00

I went to sign onto DSL Reports to post that AT&T wire centers in the mid-west (pending regulatory approval) are going to cease offering local dial tone service or orders to move or change existing service, as of March 17th. Basically, they are grandfathering the traditional dial tone service, just as they officially have with ADSL service. I still have a traditional land-line and ADSL in eastern Ohio, that I suppose I can keep unless I move. I guess they'll continue to allow the service and lines to rot in place until it no longer functions. Anyway, back to DSL Reports, I managed to find this new site... Is DSL Reports done for good??

david3

Many years ago, I loaded some credit at fax1.com, and used it occasionally. I chose fax1 because the credit didn’t expire. It’s been many years since I’ve needed to fax anything, though. I checked awhile back, and it seems the website is gone.

px_eliezer_

david3 Many years ago, I loaded some credit at fax1.com, and used it occasionally. I chose fax1 because the credit didn’t expire. It’s been many years since I’ve needed to fax anything, though. I checked awhile back, and it seems the website is gone.

Posted on the BBB site:

05/22/2024
Worked great when it was up, now the site is gone. I still had about $15 remaining on my balance, never got it back. Couldn’t find anything to confirm if they went out of business or just changed their web address.

https://www.bbb.org/us/or/salem/profile/telephones/fax1com-1296-22591770/customer-reviews

mt999999

px_eliezer_

Yes, I feel the same way. I don’t care if they are giving me a 24 hr. back-up battery and free calling features/long distance, I can get all of that with any wireless plan, and figure out my own back up power, for way less money per month. I’d consider their service for $30/mo. once copper is turned down… But not at $45. My current local service is just over that price after taxes, without the features, but I keep it for a mix of nostalgia (rotary kitchen wall phone) and utility. Bundled with my DSL, I’ll keep it as long as it’s available, just for fun, then probably switch ISP’s and go VoIP.

Astyanax

mt999999 I keep it for a mix of nostalgia (rotary kitchen wall phone)

Ok I have to ask: Do you ever actually use that phone to dial out? 🙂

Bink63

SpottedCat Totally not surprised they’re sunsetting copper land lines. It’s antiquated technology and fiber is the future. I definitely won’t miss it; haven’t had a land line at home since 2012.

In my tiny spot on the map, comfinity prevented The Deathstar from upgrading us to fiber via astroturf campaigning and “Campaign Donations” to the Village Idiots in charge.

You were saying?

david3

There are ATA’s for use with VoIP that have pulse dialing and can work with the old rotary phone.

Astyanax

david3 There are ATA’s for use with VoIP that have pulse dialing and can work with the old rotary phone.

I’m not so concerned about any technology supporting rotary dialing but having the patience of sticking your finger in the holes working the dial for each number. I guess that’s part of the nostalgic experience. 😉

Astyanax

px_eliezer_ Fax service is still important in some spheres such as real estate, legal, and medical.

You don’t have to tell this guy that being in the insurance industry. We do it old school with the paper in the feeder. If you really want to do it old school use the machines with the rolls of thermal paper with the disappearing “ink” in a year or two. 😉

telcodad

Astyanax I’m not so concerned about any technology supporting rotary dialing but having the patience of sticking your finger in the holes working the dial for each number.

You think that’s tough, my arm is getting sore from cranking my old phone! 😃

MacLeech

telcodad Not so old but still tired of cranking
https://www.radionerds.com/index.php/TA-312~PT

…and don’t hold the wires while someone else is cranking!

adlr

BTW, if you only need outbound fax, you can get the HP Smart mobile app and a free account. After going into settings to enable the fax feature, you can send faxes out for free. It’s a bit cumbersome, but for the occasional outbound fax it’s great.

Man-of-Leisure

SpottedCat AT&T has been digging up my neighborhood and installing fiber for the past few weeks. They seem to be filling in the last of the unserved neighborhoods in Miami, and I’m sure are doing this in many other cities too.

I hope they do this in most places, but I’m worried a large percentage of copper areas won’t be getting fiber, and will be stuck with fixed wireless.

I checked several addresses in Napa, CA (hardly a rural area) and you can no longer sign up for DSL there, only fixed wireless. Hopefully they go back and finish their fiber upgrades, but who knows.

Most of the city is now stuck with Comcast or fixed wireless.

Looks like they aren’t only doing Internet Air in rural areas.

ramsaso

What a travesty.

SpottedCat

It’s especially annoying because if they were able to run copper lines out to those areas, they should be able to run fiber, which is cheaper and more reliable long-term than copper ever was.

Companies these days always looking after the short-term and not wanting to invest in infrastructure long-term.

MacLeech

SpottedCat The problem is they would have to run both networks simultaneously for how ever long it takes to migrate customers over while charging the same basic rates without the USF subsidies that might help support the fiber network. History has shown those sorts of build outs and migrations take 10 or more years

Man-of-Leisure

SpottedCat It’s especially annoying because if they were able to run copper lines out to those areas, they should be able to run fiber, which is cheaper and more reliable long-term than copper ever was.

Companies these days always looking after the short-term and not wanting to invest in infrastructure long-term.

I also wonder, DSL uses fiber backhaul essentially at the central office right?

So they already have at least some fiber in these rural areas, just not to the home.

Man-of-Leisure

MacLeech The problem is they would have to run both networks simultaneously for how ever long it takes to migrate customers over

Once an area is upgraded to fiber, the copper is disconnected at that time. So the migration is instantaneous.

They don’t give the customer the option to keep copper or run both at the same address. They either disconnect you or upgrade you to fiber.

They just abandon the copper in place and don’t even bother pulling it out.

telcodad

Man-of-Leisure They just abandon the copper in place and don’t even bother pulling it out.

Actually, copper is getting fairly expensive. if they don’t pull it out, someone else may!

Protecting Networks: Battling the Rise in Copper Theft and Vandalism
NCTA - November 20, 2024
https://www.ncta.com/whats-new/protecting-networks-battling-the-rise-in-copper-theft-and-vandalism

MacLeech

Man-of-Leisure Once an area is upgraded to fiber, the copper is disconnected at that time. So the migration is instantaneous.

Except, the installations are done on a per-customer basis. It’s not an area gets fiber and magically all the ONUs are installed, subscriber phone lines are suddenly connected to them, and DSL becomes fiber. Meanwhile, the entire copper network back to the CO is still maintained, it’s just 1 more pair is available as individual customers migrate. The strand is still occupied. Pole permits are still needed. IF the trunk is cut, it’s all still spliced back. Remember how long it took you to get fiber even though ATT repeatedly said it was available. It was YEARS.

Verizon installed FIOS into my neighborhood shortly after it was built. Their copper was still active and maintained for 15+ years after that. ATT isn’t that different.

Man-of-Leisure

telcodad Actually, copper is getting fairly expensive. if they don’t pull it out, someone else may!

I know Verizon just leaves it there. I assume AT&T and the others do the same.

The area where I grew up hasn’t had copper/DSL service since 2007 when they upgraded to FiOS, but every home still has the copper lines run to them, and the copper is still up there on the telephone poles.

MacLeech It’s not an area gets fiber and magically all the ONUs are installed, subscriber phone lines are suddenly connected to them, and DSL becomes fiber.

Maybe AT&T doesn’t do it that way, but Verizon does now.

They send everyone a letter “We’re retiring copper in your area on X date and upgrading to fiber. If you don’t schedule an installation with us, your service will be disconnected.”

MacLeech

Man-of-Leisure They send everyone a letter “We’re retiring copper in your area on X date and upgrading to fiber. If you don’t schedule an installation with us, your service will be disconnected.”

They tend to send out multiple letters months apart, so it takes years to migrate an area over. It also doesn’t clear out the old equipment, which they’re responsible for and need operational until everyone in an area is migrated.

Like I said, overbuild and migrate. It’s not rip and replace. Especially in areas, like California, that don’t just allow companies to unilaterally slam customers into new services or let the legacy phone networks be turned off. That “ATT discontinued landline service” will be around in California for decades.

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