Text 9079, 49 rader
Skriven 2010-07-10 08:15:10 av Robert Bashe (2:2448/44)
   Kommentar till text 9060 av David Drummond (3:640/384)
Ärende: Cellphone woes
======================
David Drummond wrote to Michiel van der Vlist on Friday July 09 2010 at 23:02:

MvdV>> That too is a ripp off. I pay some EUR 10 a month for my land line.
MvdV>> (Excluding cost of calla) I could get a second line for another EUR
MvdV>> 6 a month.

DD> Don't you have ADSL there? No need for a second line for the computer
DD> then.

That assumes you use VoIP for voice calls, which can get a bit problematic in
Europe if you are in fido and have people who want to contact you using data
protocols via an analog or an ISDN line. Or if you use a fax.

They have a system here called "NGN" (next generation net) which operates on
the DSL line and emulates analog and ISDN for voice calls, but is not (yet)
good enough to provide reliable service on data transmission.

When I decided to switch providers (I'm currently with German Telekom, and have
had massive problems with them because of a ficticious 7-hour phone call that
allegedly originated with my _analog_ line to an IRIDIUM satellite - to an
unassigned number - in April 2009), I decided to change to one of the few
others who provide a "genuine" ISDN line and _not_ NGN for precisely this
reason. The contract with the new provider (Versatel) is much cheaper than with
Telekom, at the same service level as now, but if I agreed to NGN the price
would be even lower.

However, if I did that, nobody would be able to reach my fido system via an
analog or ISDN line, and I could well have problems sending and receiving faxes
- both of which are still fairly important in Europe.

BA>>> The only calls I get on the 'people' line are from telemarketers and
BA>>> robocallers,

Luckily, those are illegal in Germany unless you have previously agreed to
them.

MvdV>> That used to be a pest here too until some five years ago. Now we
MvdV>> have "do not call me" lists that are effective.

DD> Same here - except political parties and some charities are exempt
DD> from the no call.

Here, nobody is exempt. The only exceptions are companies with which you have a
contract and who call you about the contract.

Cheers, Bob

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