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Zorro

(16,971 posts)
Wed Nov 27, 2024, 09:34 AM Nov 2024

Copper thieves cut off this SoCal suburb's phones for months and the bills kept coming

For six months, Hacienda Heights resident Michael Weiner could not get a dial tone on his landline.

He tried to get an answer from his phone company, Frontier Communications, but was told that it was a technical issue. He continued to get billed even though he couldn’t make a call.

Weiner, 79, eventually learned that his service, like the phone lines of many of his neighbors, was interrupted by copper wire thieves who tampered with utility poles. The problem has even temporarily forced students out of school.

Weiner and his neighbors are the latest victims of a surge in copper wire theft throughout Los Angeles County.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-11-27/hacienda-heights-cut-cable-service-frontier

15 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Copper thieves cut off this SoCal suburb's phones for months and the bills kept coming (Original Post) Zorro Nov 2024 OP
LA Times used to be a great paper. Toughest paywall ever. Try this link ... marble falls Nov 2024 #1
Always check the archive. ... littlemissmartypants Nov 2024 #2
Landlines? Kilgore Nov 2024 #3
Why? quaint Nov 2024 #4
That makes no sense Kilgore Nov 2024 #7
Most of the people I am referring to live in very rural areas and subsist on Social Security. quaint Nov 2024 #8
No, just experience Kilgore Nov 2024 #10
Wow, you seem to believe the people I'm referring to would be better off without any outside communication. quaint Nov 2024 #12
Nope Kilgore Nov 2024 #13
huh? IbogaProject Nov 2024 #9
Actually copper regulation is beginning to going away Kilgore Nov 2024 #11
"where other services are available" quaint Dec 2024 #15
We get our internet through a copper wire pair, since 1998. hunter Dec 2024 #14
Copper thieves and corporate thieves. Sneederbunk Nov 2024 #5
Crapitalism. Nuf said? GreenWave Nov 2024 #6

littlemissmartypants

(26,793 posts)
2. Always check the archive. ...
Wed Nov 27, 2024, 10:11 AM
Nov 2024

I found a pay wall free link in less than 30 seconds here: https://archive.ph/bEnTe
Here's the archive search page link:
https://archive.ph/

❤️

Kilgore

(1,818 posts)
7. That makes no sense
Wed Nov 27, 2024, 09:25 PM
Nov 2024

The legacy copper is, and should go away. There are much better technologies like cellular, wide area wifi and fiber.

For example, the copper lines in my neighborhood don't work. According to a lineman acquaintance, there hasn't been a subscriber for years and the phone company just stopped doing maintenance and fixing things. Everyone went to cable or one of the three wireless providers.

Instead of subsidizing buggy whips, the funds should subsidize fiber or wireless.

Probably not a popular opinion so, let the flames begin!!

quaint

(3,793 posts)
8. Most of the people I am referring to live in very rural areas and subsist on Social Security.
Thu Nov 28, 2024, 07:47 AM
Nov 2024

You aren't an elitist by any chance...

quaint

(3,793 posts)
12. Wow, you seem to believe the people I'm referring to would be better off without any outside communication.
Sat Nov 30, 2024, 08:31 AM
Nov 2024

Kilgore

(1,818 posts)
13. Nope
Sat Nov 30, 2024, 03:05 PM
Nov 2024

Just better, more capable communications.
That's where infrastructure funds need to be spent.

IbogaProject

(4,128 posts)
9. huh?
Fri Nov 29, 2024, 02:07 PM
Nov 2024

The old copper telephone service is solid due to being well regulated. And it is much more fault tolerant when the power goes out. We kept our dial tone and phone service both big NYC black outs, 2003 and Sandy 2012, everyone on FIOS and Cable TV phone service was out and our phone stayed up throughout.

Kilgore

(1,818 posts)
11. Actually copper regulation is beginning to going away
Fri Nov 29, 2024, 08:02 PM
Nov 2024

Look for filings at state utility commissions to stop POTS (copper) service where other services are available. The last filing I'm aware of has been for multiple California counties.

hunter

(39,376 posts)
14. We get our internet through a copper wire pair, since 1998.
Sun Dec 1, 2024, 04:16 PM
Dec 2024

There's still no fiber or unlimited 5G wireless internet here.

4GLTE internet is too expensive for streaming television.

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