The phenomenon of households going “all mobile” and having their landline phone disconnected has continued apace, but a study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the 2008-2009 recession was not forcing poorer mobile users to abandon landlines at a faster rate than richer mobile users.
Apparently when it comes to phone habits, age and geography play more of a role than socioeconomic factors. The trend is simply a continuation of one that began in the early 2000s: poor people are likelier than richer people to live in all mobile households.
This ditching of the traditional landline doubled from the first half of 2006 to the first half of 2009. About 23% of U.S. homes have cell phones only, up from 11% in 2006. Sixty percent of homes had both cell and landline phones for the first half of 2009. Only about 17% of homes had landlines without having wireless phones, and only 2% had no phone at all. There are also many people who still have a landline, but only because they think it will be a hassle to get wireless broadband.
When these people are taken into account, 37% of homes are effectively reached only by cell phone. Homes with children or related adults are more likely to still have landlines. People from the South and Midwest are more likely than people in other regions to have wireless only homes.
One reason people finally give up their landline is because they find out that they can get broadband internet access without having a landline. In the US, phone giant AT&T offers – quietly – what is known as “naked DSL,” o r DSL without a landline. Other phone companies offer this, too, but they do not advertise it widely. There are ways to have broadband without phone lines that skirt telephone companies altogether.
Fibre optic cable
One example is service from municipal “fiber to the premises” or FTTP initiatives. These are ways that local utility companies can pay for running fiber optic cable to every house in a service area that wants it so that they can receive digital broadband, television and, if they want, landline service. Typically these scenarios want consumers to choose at least two of the three options, such as internet and television or internet and phone service. They also commonly offer all three services bundled together for those who still want or need a landline. But they are one of the most viable options for those who want to have internet without phone lines.
Broadband over power lines
Power line communication, also known as power line carrier and power line digital subscriber line is a system whereby data is carried over the lines used for electric power transmission. These systems send and receive information over power lines rather than phone lines for internet access. This is yet another way to have broadband without phone line. Electricity gets to the user by being transmitted across high voltage lines, distributed across medium voltage lines, and provided to individuals and businesses on lower voltage wiring. At each of these stages, communications can travel as well.
This type of communication system works by putting a modulated carrier signal onto the wiring system. Different communication types use different frequencies that depend on signal transmission characteristics. The present power wiring setup was originally only intended for transmission of alternating current (AC) power, and this means that the power wire circuits are limited in their ability to carry higher frequencies. However, a new technology called E-line allows one single power conductor on an overhead line to function as a wave guide and provide low attenuation propagation of radio frequencies through microwave lines, while still providing multiple Gbps information rates, hence providing broadband without phone lines.
Broadband over power lines (BPL) is a way to provide internet access over power lines in broadband without phone lines. Computers using this technology to get on the internet plug a special “modem” device into an electrical outlet in a building equipped to have high speed internet. This technology is in limited distribution at the present. The advantage of this technology over cable and regular DSL is that the infrastructure already reaches people in remote areas with only small investment by utility companies.
But as yet there isn’t a standard for this technology, and some question the bandwidth such a system could provide when compared to cable or DSL. However, the mere threat of BPL may motivate some DSL operators to move more quickly to serve those in rural areas. BPL has spread faster in Europe than in North America because of different power system design approaches. Over the power line grid in a typical U.S. city, setting up BPL would require many more repeaters for the broadband signal to “step down” to the lower voltage lines in homes.
Satellite broadband
Another way to get broadband without phone lines is satellite broadband. It is totally separate from systems that involve dial-up, DSL, or cable. Satellite broadband links users to a dish network and allows speeds similar to other broadband technology. Those who do not have access to DSL or cable may choose satellite broadband instead to get broadband without phone lines. Their internet feed is beamed down from a satellite to a receiver dish installed at the subscriber’s household. Speeds of up to 2 mbps downstream and 1 mbps upstream are possible. Dial-up, by contrast runs at 53 kbps: almost 40 time slower than satellite.
Satellite broadband as a form of broadband without phone lines does have its disadvantages, though. For one thing it can be really expensive, particularly for users who do not understand that they will be charged substantially more for exceeding monthly downloading or uploading allotments. Also, weather can affect the signal, and satellite broadband experiences a delay of signal known as high latency.
The reason for this is that requests to bring up a web page have to travel almost 36,000 km to reach a satellite in geostationary orbit. Then the signal has to travel back to earth to the service provider. It is then routed to the internet, where data exchange takes place. The signal then goes 36,000 km back to the satellite, and then back to the user. This latency makes satellite broadband a bad choice for those who are into multiplayer online gaming, and who can’t stand the 500 to 700 millisecond delay.
As a form of broadband without phone lines, satellite broadband is perhaps the slowest broadband technology.
Satellite broadband is about the same speed as the slowest available DSL. Premium DSL services can go much faster, as can cable. Cable, however, can be affected by high local traffic levels. Another drawback to satellite DSL is that in the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission has a rule that satellite broadband dishes must be professionally installed, which can cost several hundred dollars. Monthly rates are also typically higher than cable or DSL internet service. So while satellite broadband may be the only choice for some people in remote areas, it is usually not a practical choice for those who can use other forms of broadband without phone lines.
In summary, there are more ways than ever before for people to get broadband without phone lines. Cable internet, fiber to the premises, broadband over power lines, and satellite broadband. Each of these has its advantages and disadvantages, but all of them are independent of the landline phone.
Mail this post