One of the biggest benefits with POTS, and therefore one of the biggest problems with fiber/wireless, is the function of POTS providing it's own power source to power fixed line communication devices (telephone sets). Remember, when it comes down to it, we are discussing the ability to COMMUNICATE. Fiber to the prem requires local power, and during power outages, often times requires expensive local batteries, typically at the premis owners expense. While there are methods to eliminate this, I don't know how extensively this option is deployed. Wireless, of course, requires local power with no option of remote power. So for this and other reasons already stated, when it comes to VOICE, POTS is still KING!
It's the independent ILECs who get USF money. It's companies like Frontier, Windstream, Embarq and the small ILECs who get virtually all of the USF money. And RBOC prices are usually cheaper.
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The problem with fiber/wireless that gets overlooked
One of the biggest benefits with POTS, and therefore one of the biggest problems with fiber/wireless, is the function of POTS providing it's own power source to power fixed line communication devices (telephone sets). Remember, when it comes down to it, we are discussing the ability to COMMUNICATE. Fiber to the prem requires local power, and during power outages, often times requires expensive local batteries, typically at the premis owners expense. While there are methods to eliminate this, I don't know how extensively this option is deployed. Wireless, of course, requires local power with no option of remote power. So for this and other reasons already stated, when it comes to VOICE, POTS is still KING!
It's not the Baby Bells who get USF money...
It's the independent ILECs who get USF money. It's companies like Frontier, Windstream, Embarq and the small ILECs who get virtually all of the USF money. And RBOC prices are usually cheaper.