Telcom about to get rid of dial up customers

As if the non-notified email changeover farce with the monoploy telco's ISP is not enough, Telecom now advises that the copper network will no longer be powered from the exchange end as it is now.

Parts are no longer being made for our one-off bastard phone system in NZ, they have not been for some time now. Current maintenance is non-existent, parts are being cannabalised in an attempt to keep the system running for a maximum of 5 years. As a result, the monoploy provider is moving to the 'next generation', ie digital all the way, which will require all houses connecting to their network to have a powered gateway device fitted. At your cost for the device and power!

This will have the undesirable effect of 111 calls requiring an alternative power source, ie the batteries in your cell phone, if the power is off in your house. Too bad if the reason you are calling for the 111 taxi service has also taken out your local cell tower and your cellphone now has no signal. And what of those customers out of cell coverage, without power to power up a digital gateway device in their home?

Secondly, all of those that cannot get broadband, especially rural folk like me, those analog modems in your computer will be rendered totally useless within 5 years. Block obsolescence of both your phone and your computer all due to a lack of maintenance, as long suffering rural dialup users well know.

There has to be a better way than this, the final two fingered salute to the TSO from the incumbent monopoly.