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State of the Phones

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  State of the Phones not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev) - 2025-05-05 09:03 +1000
    Re: State of the Phones Marco Moock <mm@dorfdsl.de> - 2025-05-05 09:55 +0200
      Re: State of the Phones Computer Nerd Kev <not@telling.you.invalid> - 2025-05-05 18:17 +1000
        Re: State of the Phones Marco Moock <mm@dorfdsl.de> - 2025-05-05 10:58 +0200
          Re: State of the Phones noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> - 2025-05-05 21:51 +1000
          Re: State of the Phones not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev) - 2025-05-06 08:49 +1000
            Re: State of the Phones noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> - 2025-05-06 23:02 +1000
        Re: State of the Phones noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> - 2025-05-05 22:05 +1000
          Re: State of the Phones not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev) - 2025-05-06 08:18 +1000
            Re: State of the Phones noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> - 2025-05-06 23:13 +1000
              Re: State of the Phones not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev) - 2025-05-07 09:23 +1000
                Re: State of the Phones "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2025-05-10 08:02 +1000
                Re: State of the Phones Computer Nerd Kev <not@telling.you.invalid> - 2025-05-14 18:07 +1000
                  Re: State of the Phones noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> - 2025-05-25 13:25 +1000
                    Re: State of the Phones not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev) - 2025-05-27 08:32 +1000
                    Re: State of the Phones not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev) - 2025-06-06 09:07 +1000
                      Re: State of the Phones noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> - 2025-06-06 17:08 +1000
                        Re: State of the Phones not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev) - 2025-06-07 10:14 +1000
        Re: State of the Phones "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2025-05-10 07:49 +1000
          Re: State of the Phones not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev) - 2025-05-10 08:12 +1000
            Re: State of the Phones "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2025-05-10 09:51 +1000
          Re: State of the Phones noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> - 2025-05-10 23:51 +1000
            Re: State of the Phones "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2025-05-11 00:27 +1000
              Re: State of the Phones noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> - 2025-05-11 09:35 +1000
                Re: State of the Phones "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2025-05-11 10:17 +1000
                  Re: State of the Phones noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> - 2025-05-25 13:21 +1000
    Re: State of the Phones Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-05-05 09:11 +0000
      Re: State of the Phones not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev) - 2025-05-06 08:39 +1000
        Re: State of the Phones not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev) - 2025-05-06 10:03 +1000
        Re: State of the Phones "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2025-05-10 07:56 +1000
    Re: State of the Phones Ozix <ozix@xizo.am> - 2025-05-08 18:12 +0800
      Re: State of the Phones nb <deletethis@invalid.lan> - 2025-05-09 08:15 +1000
        Re: State of the Phones Ozix <ozix@xizo.am> - 2025-05-09 19:07 +0800
    Re: State of the Phones "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> - 2025-05-10 07:45 +1000

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#35804 — State of the Phones

Phones just don't work anymore in rural areas.

My landline's been dead for over a week with some trouble at the
exchange. Using the mobile phone I usually keep in the car for
emergencies I tried calling someone who lives locally yesterday,
outside for good reception. It went to voice mail on two attempts.
A while later they called back and said their phone hadn't got
reception where it was in their house when I'd called. I went
outside to get better reception on my end, but then it was too
windy so they couldn't hear me, so I went into the shed but the
phone dropped out, so I went out again and yelled into the phone,
and I still don't think they could hear me. I gave up.

Both of us were within line-of-sight of the phone tower. Phones
say they have signal inside the house/shed, but since the 3G
switch-off it just doesn't work anymore (although my older 4G
mobile broadband modem somehow seems to work a little better). But
they're in no hurry to fix the landlines because everyone's
supposed to be using mobile phones!

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#35805

On 05.05.2025 09:03 Uhr Computer Nerd Kev wrote:

> Phones just don't work anymore in rural areas.
> 
> My landline's been dead for over a week with some trouble at the
> exchange.

Analog landline or any kind of xDSL?

> But they're in no hurry to fix the landlines because everyone's
> supposed to be using mobile phones!

Don't they complain because of non-working internet access?

-- 
kind regards
Marco

Send spam to 1746428603muell@stinkedores.dorfdsl.de

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#35806

In aus.electronics Marco Moock <mm@dorfdsl.de> wrote:
> On 05.05.2025 09:03 Uhr Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
>> Phones just don't work anymore in rural areas.
>> 
>> My landline's been dead for over a week with some trouble at the
>> exchange.
> 
> Analog landline or any kind of xDSL?

Still real analogue POTS out here beyond the towns/cities that the
NBN covers. I did see a Telstra ute outside the exchange when I
went to town today. I didn't have time to stop and ask what the
story was and they were gone by the time I got back. My landline's
still not working, it's still just making the hang up "boop, boop,"
noise when you pick it up, which is one of the exchange's familiar
failure modes.

>> But they're in no hurry to fix the landlines because everyone's
>> supposed to be using mobile phones!
> 
> Don't they complain because of non-working internet access?

I doubt anyone's using dial-up over the landline, but I do have
trouble with the mobile broadband modem I use for my home internet
dropping out since the 3G switch-off, yet not half as bad as with
phone calls for some reason. Even though the mobile phones all
support Telstra's "new" 700MHz "4GX" band, which my old modem
doesn't.

Other locals use satellite internet but that was unreliable too
back when I used it (and I hear it still is). Perhaps Starlink
is better, but it's too expensive for me anyway.

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#35807

On 05.05.2025 18:17 Uhr Computer Nerd Kev wrote:

> In aus.electronics Marco Moock <mm@dorfdsl.de> wrote:
> > On 05.05.2025 09:03 Uhr Computer Nerd Kev wrote:  
> >> Phones just don't work anymore in rural areas.
> >> 
> >> My landline's been dead for over a week with some trouble at the
> >> exchange.  
> > 
> > Analog landline or any kind of xDSL?  
> 
> Still real analogue POTS out here beyond the towns/cities that the
> NBN covers. I did see a Telstra ute outside the exchange when I
> went to town today. I didn't have time to stop and ask what the
> story was and they were gone by the time I got back. My landline's
> still not working, it's still just making the hang up "boop, boop,"
> noise when you pick it up, which is one of the exchange's familiar
> failure modes.
> 
> >> But they're in no hurry to fix the landlines because everyone's
> >> supposed to be using mobile phones!  
> > 
> > Don't they complain because of non-working internet access?  
> 
> I doubt anyone's using dial-up over the landline,

At least in the US and in Russia hundred thousands of people still
seem to use that.
Are you close enough to get DSL?



-- 
kind regards
Marco

Send spam to 1746461841muell@stinkedores.dorfdsl.de

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#35809

On Mon, 05 May 2025 10:58:32 +0200, Marco Moock wrote:

> On 05.05.2025 18:17 Uhr Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
> 
>> In aus.electronics Marco Moock <mm@dorfdsl.de> wrote:
>> > On 05.05.2025 09:03 Uhr Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
>> >> Phones just don't work anymore in rural areas.
>> >> 
>> >> My landline's been dead for over a week with some trouble at the
>> >> exchange.
>> > 
>> > Analog landline or any kind of xDSL?
>> 
>> Still real analogue POTS out here beyond the towns/cities that the NBN
>> covers. I did see a Telstra ute outside the exchange when I went to
>> town today. I didn't have time to stop and ask what the story was and
>> they were gone by the time I got back. My landline's still not working,
>> it's still just making the hang up "boop, boop,"
>> noise when you pick it up, which is one of the exchange's familiar
>> failure modes.
>> 
>> >> But they're in no hurry to fix the landlines because everyone's
>> >> supposed to be using mobile phones!
>> > 
>> > Don't they complain because of non-working internet access?
>> 
>> I doubt anyone's using dial-up over the landline,
> 
> At least in the US and in Russia hundred thousands of people still seem
> to use that.
> Are you close enough to get DSL?

The only dsl in Australia is VDSLx  

when the govt forced this NBN shit onto everyone, rural exchanges even 
had their ADSL2 turned off, they move them to LTE or satellite for 
broadband, which Kev has already said aint that crash hot and jams most 
ISP's helpdesks - that is why rural folks get to keep POTS (city dwellers 
and major population areas with access to VDSLx and Fibre, dont have 
POTS, they expect your internet to work in blackouts and use VoIP or 
mobile coverage) so they can make reliable calls - well, except when the 
exchange itself fails obvoiusly like this one.

Mobile coverage is next to useless here, they put towers in the most 
stupidest low lying areas, I personally live 45 minutes from the CBD of 
Brisbane, and neither I or any my neighbours can use mobiles inside the 
house (until I upgraded my modem and enabled wifi calling a couple years 
back) nearly everyone has to go outside and be lucky enough to get 1 bar 
in the yards.

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#35813

In aus.electronics Marco Moock <mm@dorfdsl.de> wrote:
> On 05.05.2025 18:17 Uhr Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
>> I doubt anyone's using dial-up over the landline,
> 
> At least in the US and in Russia hundred thousands of people still
> seem to use that.

Well, nobody I know anyway.

> Are you close enough to get DSL?

As Noel said the NBN covered places that had DSL so POTS was
turned off in those spots. Only dial-up was ever offered out
here, even though I'm not that far from the exchange.

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#35815

On Tue, 06 May 2025 08:49:33 +1000, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:

> in those spots. Only dial-up was ever offered out here, even though I'm
> not that far from the exchange.

That sux, a little known fact, since its gone, long gone, I can say this, 
ADSL1 worked out to 6 km's from an exchange rock solid, of course telstra 
failed the QT over 3.5/4 km's, and that was 1.5/256 days, I'm sure if 
they tested it again when opened up to 8/1 they could have got 1.5/256  
out to 8 km's, but they never tested that AFAIK, so they rather keep 
folks at those distances on dialup, they figured less fault reports, and 
their ADSL2+ dslams failed over to ADSL2 then back to ADSL1, so they 
COULD have had better internet at far greater distances, evne if tehy had 
those folks agree the service was best-effort.

But NBN are just as fucked, we live like I said 45m north of CBD, NBN 
been around since what 2013... and only late last year they rolled out 
fibre here... It was getting so frustrating I considered setting up a 
couple mikrotik dishes from the office to home, but that storage king 
building accross the road from office was a bit too high and close, ahh 
well.

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#35810

On Mon, 05 May 2025 18:17:21 +1000, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:

>
> were gone by the time I got back. My landline's still not working, it's
> still just making the hang up "boop, boop,"
> noise when you pick it up, which is one of the exchange's familiar
> failure modes.


Is this "boop boop" like a busy signal except one tone loud the second 
noticably softer?

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#35811

In aus.electronics noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> wrote:
> On Mon, 05 May 2025 18:17:21 +1000, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
>> were gone by the time I got back. My landline's still not working, it's
>> still just making the hang up "boop, boop,"
>> noise when you pick it up, which is one of the exchange's familiar
>> failure modes.
> 
> Is this "boop boop" like a busy signal except one tone loud the second 
> noticably softer?

The boops are all the same tone/volume. You get about 16 and a half
after picking up then it goes dead except for a hiss (which is the
exchange's other common failure mode).

-- 
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#_ < |\| |< _#

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#35816

On Tue, 06 May 2025 08:18:34 +1000, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:

> In aus.electronics noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> wrote:
>> On Mon, 05 May 2025 18:17:21 +1000, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
>>> were gone by the time I got back. My landline's still not working,
>>> it's still just making the hang up "boop, boop,"
>>> noise when you pick it up, which is one of the exchange's familiar
>>> failure modes.
>> 
>> Is this "boop boop" like a busy signal except one tone loud the second
>> noticably softer?
> 
> The boops are all the same tone/volume. You get about 16 and a half
> after picking up then it goes dead except for a hiss (which is the
> exchange's other common failure mode).

16 would be exchange hangup timeout, what have hel$tra said? perhaps a 
call into ABC radio or, one of those tv current affair mobs (do they 
still exist, I dont watch much TV these days unless its footy) they might 
help, AFAIK all outages from cyclone are resolved, took some time south 
around Logan, so no excuse for any exchange to be unservicable after a 
week, but oitd a byproduct of NBN, since POTs is no longer an "essential" 
service, where the bloody internet now is, so kids can get their pr0n... 
who cares about calling paramedics when you download steve does jessica.
this country's gone arse about face.

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#35817

In aus.electronics noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> wrote:
> On Tue, 06 May 2025 08:18:34 +1000, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
>> In aus.electronics noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> wrote:
>>> On Mon, 05 May 2025 18:17:21 +1000, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
>>>> were gone by the time I got back. My landline's still not working,
>>>> it's still just making the hang up "boop, boop,"
>>>> noise when you pick it up, which is one of the exchange's familiar
>>>> failure modes.
>>> 
>>> Is this "boop boop" like a busy signal except one tone loud the second
>>> noticably softer?
>> 
>> The boops are all the same tone/volume. You get about 16 and a half
>> after picking up then it goes dead except for a hiss (which is the
>> exchange's other common failure mode).
> 
> 16 would be exchange hangup timeout, what have hel$tra said? perhaps a 
> call into ABC radio or, one of those tv current affair mobs

They finished the job yesterday and it's finally working again.
It's nothing new really with the exchange, there were a few years
where it would be broken for days after every power outage (even
though a hiss on the line while the power was out suggested that
the backup power was working). The problem is that now, without
3G, mobile phones are no longer a reliable alternative to it.
Plenty of coverage of that problem on TV and newspapers back when
3G was switched off, but telcos willfully ignored all that, and
politicians didn't even care to talk about it at the election
except some meaningless babble from Labor about Elon Musk replacing
phone towers with satellites. As if that's easier than making the
phone tower on a mountain a few Km away from me work as well as it
did last year! Clearly nobody really gives a stuff about phone
service beyond the suburbs anymore.

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#35824

On Wed, 07 May 2025 09:23:33 +1000, Computer Nerd Kev  
<not@telling.you.invalid> wrote:

> In aus.electronics noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> wrote:
>> On Tue, 06 May 2025 08:18:34 +1000, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
>>> In aus.electronics noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> wrote:
>>>> On Mon, 05 May 2025 18:17:21 +1000, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
>>>>> were gone by the time I got back. My landline's still not working,
>>>>> it's still just making the hang up "boop, boop,"
>>>>> noise when you pick it up, which is one of the exchange's familiar
>>>>> failure modes.
>>>>
>>>> Is this "boop boop" like a busy signal except one tone loud the second
>>>> noticably softer?
>>>
>>> The boops are all the same tone/volume. You get about 16 and a half
>>> after picking up then it goes dead except for a hiss (which is the
>>> exchange's other common failure mode).
>>
>> 16 would be exchange hangup timeout, what have hel$tra said? perhaps a
>> call into ABC radio or, one of those tv current affair mobs
>
> They finished the job yesterday and it's finally working again.
> It's nothing new really with the exchange, there were a few years
> where it would be broken for days after every power outage (even
> though a hiss on the line while the power was out suggested that
> the backup power was working). The problem is that now, without
> 3G, mobile phones are no longer a reliable alternative to it.
> Plenty of coverage of that problem on TV and newspapers back when
> 3G was switched off, but telcos willfully ignored all that, and
> politicians didn't even care to talk about it at the election
> except some meaningless babble from Labor about Elon Musk replacing
> phone towers with satellites. As if that's easier than making the
> phone tower on a mountain a few Km away from me work as well as it
> did last year!

> Clearly nobody really gives a stuff about phone
> service beyond the suburbs anymore.

You are completely wrong about that

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#35831

In aus.electronics Computer Nerd Kev <not@telling.you.invalid> wrote:
> In aus.electronics noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> wrote:
>> On Tue, 06 May 2025 08:18:34 +1000, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
>>> In aus.electronics noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> wrote:
>>>> On Mon, 05 May 2025 18:17:21 +1000, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
>>>>> were gone by the time I got back. My landline's still not working,
>>>>> it's still just making the hang up "boop, boop,"
>>>>> noise when you pick it up, which is one of the exchange's familiar
>>>>> failure modes.
>>>> 
>>>> Is this "boop boop" like a busy signal except one tone loud the second
>>>> noticably softer?
>>> 
>>> The boops are all the same tone/volume. You get about 16 and a half
>>> after picking up then it goes dead except for a hiss (which is the
>>> exchange's other common failure mode).
>> 
>> 16 would be exchange hangup timeout, what have hel$tra said? perhaps a 
>> call into ABC radio or, one of those tv current affair mobs
> 
> They finished the job yesterday and it's finally working again.

Which lasted a week - dead again today (just a hiss, not even a
"boop, boop"). Which is about typical.

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#35833

On Wed, 14 May 2025 18:07:45 +1000, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:

> In aus.electronics Computer Nerd Kev <not@telling.you.invalid> wrote:
>> In aus.electronics noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> wrote:
>>> On Tue, 06 May 2025 08:18:34 +1000, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
>>>> In aus.electronics noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> wrote:
>>>>> On Mon, 05 May 2025 18:17:21 +1000, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
>>>>>> were gone by the time I got back. My landline's still not working,
>>>>>> it's still just making the hang up "boop, boop,"
>>>>>> noise when you pick it up, which is one of the exchange's familiar
>>>>>> failure modes.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Is this "boop boop" like a busy signal except one tone loud the
>>>>> second noticably softer?
>>>> 
>>>> The boops are all the same tone/volume. You get about 16 and a half
>>>> after picking up then it goes dead except for a hiss (which is the
>>>> exchange's other common failure mode).
>>> 
>>> 16 would be exchange hangup timeout, what have hel$tra said? perhaps a
>>> call into ABC radio or, one of those tv current affair mobs
>> 
>> They finished the job yesterday and it's finally working again.
> 
> Which lasted a week - dead again today (just a hiss, not even a "boop,
> boop"). Which is about typical.

I know this is a couple weeks old, but wasnt going to interupt my third 
vacation for the year for being disconnected, marvellous... lots of fresh 
air and peace...  Anyways, I gather its back now, they should supply you 
with a reason as to why its ongoing, your not by any chance on a RIM are 
you?

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#35834

In aus.electronics noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> wrote:
> On Wed, 14 May 2025 18:07:45 +1000, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
>> In aus.electronics Computer Nerd Kev <not@telling.you.invalid> wrote:
>>> 
>>> They finished the job yesterday and it's finally working again.
>> 
>> Which lasted a week - dead again today (just a hiss, not even a "boop,
>> boop"). Which is about typical.
> 
> I know this is a couple weeks old, but wasnt going to interupt my third 
> vacation for the year for being disconnected, marvellous... lots of fresh 
> air and peace...  Anyways, I gather its back now,

Heh, I've been away for the weekend too. Phone still broken when I
got home though.

> they should supply you with a reason as to why its ongoing,

I've never heard of anyone getting an explanation beyond that it's
an issue with the exchange. One bloke did get a personal number for
a guy who fixed a break in his line (he's much further from the
exchange and on a different line to me, so has much more trouble
with that), but I guess that's not current anymore because his
phone is out now too (also last time) and he didn't know any more
than me when I met him last week.

> your not by any chance on a RIM are you?

RIM? Ah, don't think so:
https://whirlpool.net.au/wiki/RIM_and_Pair_Gain_FAQ#rim_remote_integrated_multiplexer

There wouldn't be fibre to the exchange - it's not on the way
between any towns (and I ought to have noticed it going in). Nor
any microwave antenna, though I guess that could be too small to
notice. I can imagine that the line to the next exchange is
rotting away though. A bloke fixed a break in my phone line years
ago (actually just swapped it to a spare line which hadn't rotted
away yet), and he reckoned all the lines were due to be replaced
many decades ago.

But back when the exchange was failing after every blackout that
game me the idea that these problems are mainly with whatever
equiment they have in the exchange, rather than the connection
between exchanges. A while ago it also had trouble where you'd
have to tap the button under the handset a few times before a
dial-tone would crackle to life, so obviously a failing relay
somewhere there then (others had the same problem).

The thing is they haven't really cared for years because they
expect people to be using mobile. But now without 3G mobile barely
works here even when it's "working"!

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#35835

In aus.electronics noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> wrote:
> On Wed, 14 May 2025 18:07:45 +1000, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
>> In aus.electronics Computer Nerd Kev <not@telling.you.invalid> wrote:
>>> They finished the job yesterday and it's finally working again.
>> 
>> Which lasted a week - dead again today (just a hiss, not even a "boop,
>> boop"). Which is about typical.
> 
> I know this is a couple weeks old, but wasnt going to interupt my third 
> vacation for the year for being disconnected, marvellous... lots of fresh 
> air and peace...  Anyways, I gather its back now, they should supply you 
> with a reason as to why its ongoing,

They finally sent someone out to look at the exchange yesterday,
three weeks after the second outage began. Apparantly they found
the power was off to the exchange. They said they'd called an
electrician in to look at it, and it was working again by the end
of the day.

Gotta wonder if the electrician just reset a circuit breaker and
went home, and whether it was the same cause as whatever broke it
earlier, or a faulty fix for that.

But besides, three weeks to have someone drive out and say "it's
dead". That's what it's become. And for mobiles they just lie and
say there's equal coverage to before when there isn't, so it seems
they'll never fix that.

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#35836

On Fri, 06 Jun 2025 09:07:28 +1000, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:

> 
> They finally sent someone out to look at the exchange yesterday, three
> weeks after the second outage began. Apparantly they found the power was
> off to the exchange. They said they'd called an electrician in to look
> at it, and it was working again by the end of the day.
> 
> Gotta wonder if the electrician just reset a circuit breaker and went
> home, and whether it was the same cause as whatever broke it earlier, or
> a faulty fix for that.
> 
> But besides, three weeks to have someone drive out and say "it's dead".
> That's what it's become. And for mobiles they just lie and say there's
> equal coverage to before when there isn't, so it seems they'll never fix
> that.


They know the breakers to reset, perhaps it was the RCD, techs are told 
reset it, if it trips right away leave and report it, old exchange, 
probably old shabby wiring, but to take 3 weeks to get a sparky out there 
is completely unacceptable, I'd make some noise, I know you live rural, 
but you must have a local sparky, maybe he/she wasnt available - away or 
sick, if theres no fibre to the exchange which my memory there isn't, 
then they dont have remote reporting, I mean FFS it wouldnt take much for 
code to be whipped up to make sure everything reports, if an exchange 
doesnt within 24hours alert somebody, but, its probably too hard for poor 
injins

Cant trust AI :)

https://ia.acs.org.au/article/2025/the-company-whose--ai--was-
actually-700-humans-in-india.html

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#35837

In aus.electronics noel <deletethis@invalid.lan> wrote:
> On Fri, 06 Jun 2025 09:07:28 +1000, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
>> They finally sent someone out to look at the exchange yesterday, three
>> weeks after the second outage began. Apparantly they found the power was
>> off to the exchange. They said they'd called an electrician in to look
>> at it, and it was working again by the end of the day.
>> 
>> Gotta wonder if the electrician just reset a circuit breaker and went
>> home, and whether it was the same cause as whatever broke it earlier, or
>> a faulty fix for that.
>> 
>> But besides, three weeks to have someone drive out and say "it's dead".
>> That's what it's become. And for mobiles they just lie and say there's
>> equal coverage to before when there isn't, so it seems they'll never fix
>> that.
> 
> They know the breakers to reset, perhaps it was the RCD, techs are told 
> reset it, if it trips right away leave and report it, old exchange, 
> probably old shabby wiring, but to take 3 weeks to get a sparky out there 
> is completely unacceptable, I'd make some noise, I know you live rural, 
> but you must have a local sparky, maybe he/she wasnt available - away or 
> sick,

Actually they said it could take a couple of days for the sparky,
but it was working by that evening. The three weeks was for someone
to come out and poke their head in the exchange to see that the
power was off!

A local was talking about bringing it up with the ombudsman, but
I'm not sure how much good it'd do.

> Cant trust AI :)
> 
> https://ia.acs.org.au/article/2025/the-company-whose--ai--was-
> actually-700-humans-in-india.html

:)

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#35822

Computer Nerd Kev <not@telling.you.invalid> wrote
> Marco Moock <mm@dorfdsl.de> wrote
>> Computer Nerd Kev wrote

>>> Phones just don't work anymore in rural areas.

>>> My landline's been dead for over a week with some trouble at the
>>> exchange.

>> Analog landline or any kind of xDSL?

> Still real analogue POTS out here beyond the towns/cities that the
> NBN covers.

The NBN covers more than just towns and cities

> I did see a Telstra ute outside the exchange when I
> went to town today. I didn't have time to stop and ask what the
> story was and they were gone by the time I got back. My landline's
> still not working, it's still just making the hang up "boop, boop,"
> noise when you pick it up, which is one of the exchange's familiar
> failure modes.

>>> But they're in no hurry to fix the landlines because everyone's
>>> supposed to be using mobile phones!

>> Don't they complain because of non-working internet access?

> I doubt anyone's using dial-up over the landline, but I do have
> trouble with the mobile broadband modem I use for my home internet
> dropping out since the 3G switch-off, yet not half as bad as with
> phone calls for some reason. Even though the mobile phones all
> support Telstra's "new" 700MHz "4GX" band, which my old modem
> doesn't.

Then you need to get a new one

> Other locals use satellite internet but that was unreliable too
> back when I used it (and I hear it still is). Perhaps Starlink
> is better, but it's too expensive for me anyway.

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#35825

In aus.electronics Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote:
> Computer Nerd Kev <not@telling.you.invalid> wrote
>> Marco Moock <mm@dorfdsl.de> wrote
>>> Computer Nerd Kev wrote
>>>> Phones just don't work anymore in rural areas.
> 
>>>> My landline's been dead for over a week with some trouble at the
>>>> exchange.
> 
>>> Analog landline or any kind of xDSL?
> 
>> Still real analogue POTS out here beyond the towns/cities that the
>> NBN covers.
> 
> The NBN covers more than just towns and cities

Yeah but via satellite or fixed wireless, not the phone line, and
only satellite where I am.

>> I doubt anyone's using dial-up over the landline, but I do have
>> trouble with the mobile broadband modem I use for my home internet
>> dropping out since the 3G switch-off, yet not half as bad as with
>> phone calls for some reason. Even though the mobile phones all
>> support Telstra's "new" 700MHz "4GX" band, which my old modem
>> doesn't.
> 
> Then you need to get a new one

The 700MHz band seems to be useless here anyway, since the phones
that support it work even worse. New modems are too limited anyway
since none of them support AT commands anymore, so you're stuck
with some dopey web interface.

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