digital converter box -- surprising performance

[Tony Abruzzese]

On 6/15/08 4:31 PM, Dan Billings wrote:
> Why would removing copper be a problem?
>
>
>
I recently switched back to Verizon for POTS rather than go with 
Comcast"s Digital VOIP service. Here is the way it was explained to me 
by the Verizon tech when I asked about upgrading to FIOS when it becomes 
available.

The phone company delivers power for your phone line over the copper. In 
the event of a general power failure, your copper-based land line still 
works. Note that this is only true for handsets that are hard wired to 
the system... Your cordless phone base stations are still dependent on 
house power.

FIOS based service is dependent on power from your home, instead of the 
phone company. In the event of a power failure, the FIOS box goes down, 
taking your phone down, along with internet and TV. Supposedly, Verizon 
is working with their vendors to engineer a battery backup system for 
their FIOS interface box, so that customers do not lose phone service in 
the event of a power failure, but they don't currently have a solution.

Further, he said that the network is fiber to your house and the 
interface box. From there, internet and TV are delivered over twisted 
pair ethernet cable (CAT5, IIRC), instead of co-ax cable, so you would 
need a set-top box for each TV connected to FIOS for even the most basic 
service.


-- 
Tony Abruzzese
BUSM Dept of Biochemistry