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  • #2284659

    How many hours and is it healthy?

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    by oz_media ·

    Just watching a newspiece on a US network where they are discussing how much time is healthy spent on the internet. General opnion is that it is completely dependant on HOW it is used (which I agree to some extent).

    So they say more than 11 hours per week indicates addiction. Well I’m on hour 9 today (bed ridden so that’s my excuse)I guess by their standards I’m internet addicted.

    What’s funny as I often see friends who I would say are addicted to their computer and should get out more often They are mainly gamers and don’t get out.

    If I spend all day on IT sites, server checks email and some personal stuff (no not porn!) then am I getting more out of the internet and therefore have a positive addiction in contrast to the 24/7 ‘gamer’?

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    • #2689768

      You’re a special case

      by thechas ·

      In reply to How many hours and is it healthy?

      Oz, we all know that you are sick.

      Just kidding.

      You are no sicker than any of the rest of the core TR forum community.

      I spend around 4 hours a night actively on-line. On the weekends, I often spend more time downloading my favorite comic strips and the latest file releases from a number of manufactures sites.

      Like any addiction, the key factor is do you suffer withdrawal when you cannot get on-line.

      If you can take a day off from time to time and not feel that you are missing out, you are not addicted.

      I on the other hand, have to balance 2 addictions. Being on-line, and my penchant for long distance bicycle rides. A 100 mile bike ride sounds like a good idea almost any time.
      (Well maybe not when it’s below 40 degrees F or blizzard conditions.)
      I’ve rode for over an hour at -10 F, and participated in several 24 hour rides.
      (Between 4 and 5 AM is a fun time to ride!)

      So, which one of us is sicker?

      Chas

      • #2689761

        Good point

        by oz_media ·

        In reply to You’re a special case

        I used to ride a lot but when I lived in Vancouver I lived in a hilly region and bike riding was up and down no matter which direction you went. Where I am now would be good Mountain bike territory but the dirt bike gets me around a little (LOT) quicker.

        As for being sick, I’d rather walk ten miles than wait ten minutes for a bus. I’d rather walk into town as opposed to drive. I fix cars for a living/hobby you’d think I was addicted to cars but prefer to walk, better for my back too.

        When my laptop was left in Victoria last weekend I felt like I’d had my cablem telephone and heat cut off all at the same time, it was interesting to find that I didn’t mind after about 24 hours but it was horrendous when I first realized it (2 1/2 hours out of Victoria).

        I’m still online now, thats 14 hours with a few breaks, but I just reonstalled my OS so there’s LOTS to do and plus I’m in bed for a few days so it passes time.

    • #2687995
      Avatar photo

      Well I need HELP

      by hal 9000 ·

      In reply to How many hours and is it healthy?

      With 29 hours without any mains power which meant no computers no internet I couldn’t even get the DVD disk out of the player to return it from where it was hired I got the shakes and started sweating and requiring lots of fluids.

      Well the last few are explainable as I live in Brisbane where it is regurally 30 + C and without any form of energy to run things it got a bit out of hand even the phones started shutting down.

      But luckly for me they got power restored just in time for me to download all 395 incoming e-mails and resopond as required plug back in the fridge and frezer and things like that and get the AC back up and running.

      Now this Geek who is currently sitting within 3 feet of 8 computers all running different OS’s has just spent 5 hours straight on the net and I’m finially about ready to shut down this terminal or at least log off the net for a few hours sleep because I couldn’t have any previously as we where constantly getting anything from 56 VAC to 120 VAC and not our required 240 VAC supplied so everything had to be shut down and unpluugged. And because the fridge was involved I couldn’t let the drinks get warm could I?

      Maybe that just got everything fixed in time for our next Thunder Storm as these are normal things stinking hot days followed by severe thunder stormes at the early evening. So with a bit of luck I’ll have some mains power after the next storm instead of sitting in the dark hungry and wanting to get my work finished.

      Col

      • #2687868

        Adelaide – now that’s healthy

        by hereinoz ·

        In reply to Well I need HELP

        Off topic, I know, Col, but come and live in Adelaide – 21 degrees C with a gentle sea breeze – beautiful one day – perfect the next.

        Alan

    • #2687982

      Bed ridden…

      by guruofdos ·

      In reply to How many hours and is it healthy?

      Nothing serious we hope!

      Chin up!

      Guru

      BTW, anything in excess of 168 hours a week on the internet INDICATES a problem :-0

      • #2687975

        Will live unfortunately

        by oz_media ·

        In reply to Bed ridden…

        Well as a kid I had a spinal column disease where the front of the vertebrae grew faster then the back, causing sway back. It all got caught up over time but it only takes a very minor thing like stepping off a curb wrong, missing a stair etc. to trigger the spasms again.
        Another reason I decided not to lug transmissions and engines in and out full time anymore.

        Back pain is the most retarded thing to deal with but a week on a stiff bed works wonders.

        As for the 168 hours, good thing I defragged last night and put the notbook down for a few minutes!

      • #2687969
        Avatar photo

        GoD you are wicked

        by hal 9000 ·

        In reply to Bed ridden…

        But of course you already know that don’t you?

        I can just see the cogs turning over in you’re head with a cleaver thing to come out at some stage and you’re wrong about the 168 hours in front of a computer when it reaches well in excess of 250 hours you need major help. But several years of threapy should eventually cure you of the need to spend that much time in front of a computer unless of course you need to work those hours to pay for the threapy!

        Col

      • #2687963

        Where do you keep your Tartus

        by thechas ·

        In reply to Bed ridden…

        I thought 168 hours looked like a suspicious number.

        Of course to reach that number you either need to have multiple physical personalities, or be Dr. Who.

        Reminds me of AOL’s US ad campaigns.
        They offer so large a number of free hours that one would need to be on-line 24/7 in order to even come close to using them all.

        Chas

        • #2687922
          Avatar photo

          Chas it is spelt TARDIS

          by hal 9000 ·

          In reply to Where do you keep your Tartus

          And stands for “Time And Reltive Dimensions In Space.”

          My God what is the world coming to when I start correcting spelling mistakes?

          Col

        • #2687912

          My apologies

          by thechas ·

          In reply to Chas it is spelt TARDIS

          My apologies to all the Dr. Who aficionados.

          I thought I had TARDIS spelled wrong.

          I was just too tired last night to look it up.

          Chas

        • #2687903

          Exterminate!

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to My apologies

          EXTERMINATE !! EXTERMINATE!!

        • #2687823
          Avatar photo

          Actually Chas

          by hal 9000 ·

          In reply to My apologies

          From Monday to Thursday the ABC is showing rerunns of the Original Doctor Who staring William Hartnell as the Doctor and right now they are showing the 4 episode series called “War Machines.”

          Where it is susposed to be that these centerally controled computer killing machines are the next step in the evolution of the Planet and the extinction of the Human Race is a direct result.

          Sound at all farmiliar?

          Actually I knew exactly what you meant but I couldn’t resist the correction as I constantly make spelling mistakes so it must be pretty bad when I can correct something. But don’t let any of the others know as they will all die of shock.

          Col

        • #2687718

          ‘…as they will all die of shock.”

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to Actually Chas

          I died of shock when I read it!

          Well…er….it got…it got…better?!

    • #2687895

      A minor addict …

      by jardinier ·

      In reply to How many hours and is it healthy?

      I spend 4 hours per day (hence 28 hours per week) mostly with emails, TR discussions and my websites.

      Withdrawals? In hospital I felt completely cut off from my normal life, until a neighbour brought me my laptop.

    • #2687807

      I guess I’m unhealthy then…

      by tomsal ·

      In reply to How many hours and is it healthy?

      I average about 4 hours a night online, usually the 7 – 11 pm time period. On the weekends it varies greatly – if I have lots to do it’ll be the same or less time, or if like now during the last 2 months I stay indoors more (I am not a winter person at all) I can put 7 hours in online in just one day.

      When my net connection goes down (or my computer) I will freak if its down for longer than a certain time period (like a couple hours).

      But its not the Internet I’m addicted too, its the people…you see for the last few YEARS I’ve held a very close friendship with someone, have even hung out with them, we visit each others homes , etc. In fact in a few months she’ll be here again along with a few other friends.

      So its the people for me that I’m addicted to communicating with, not the technology itself.

      Too bad my friend is 6,000 miles away…lol…damn phone bill is too expensive.lol

      • #2689346

        Tom

        by guruofdos ·

        In reply to I guess I’m unhealthy then…

        As you probably know, me and MrsGuru got it together the same way…only 3500 miles apart, mind you, but enough! We used to think 21 hours a week chatting on the internet plus 2 hours a night on the phone was NOTHING!!!

        And as for the phone bills….don’t even go there! I can call anywhere in the US from the UK from anything from 0.5 cents a minute to about 3 cents a minute. Phoning from the US to ANYWHERE overseas is prohibitively expensive. For me to call Miss Guru2B in NY for 2 hours used to cost me the price of a decent pint of beer…and I can’t make a pint last 2 hours…for her to call me for the same time, even with the best overseas package used to cost somewhere in the vicinity of a small second-hand car! 🙂

        • #2689331

          Just a side note

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to Tom

          Personally, I’d take the decent pint over the second-hand car, but you knew that right?

          I have the bands (only work FT with three of them now) calling me ALL the time. I have often said, where do you guys get the money to pay your phone bills? One band gets tow or three bookings a week
          the others are in the studio or on vacation.

          I usually email them replies, though. 🙂

          It is 14Cents/min from my home to London and that’s with a killer plan. There are others that offer 9 cents but the companies and the service sucks, I’m VERY picky about telecom and ISP services, VERY !!

          I’ve considered dropping a few grand on a Voice over IP PBX as I can get noe for a screaming deal but the phones (I need five at home) are $320.00 each! I wouldn’t use the 3000 features in the PBX so it is overkill and wasted money.

          If the west could learn from the east and rebuild our telecom structure to meetyours, we’d be miles ahead of the game. Our cell phones, land lines etc are in a ridiculous mess in comparisson to England’s, one day they MIGHT start to follow your lead but I highly doubt it wil be anytime soon. In North America, they like to think they are modern and more in tune with the world, when in reality both Canada and America are just teenagers in comparisson to Europe’s being an adult.

          They are still very picky about what you say to whom and how it is said, how advertisements on TV are effecting the youth of tomorrow. People are not the least bit humble and feel the world is their oyster, not a pearl to be shared and enjoyed. It’s like living in the high school Gym instead of the university dorm. One day they’ll get there but not in MY lifetime I don’t think.

          Example: During the Grey Cup yesterday, Justin Timberlake helped Janet Jackson launch her new album by ‘accidentally’ exposing her boob at halftime. While it was said to be an accident, I saw closeups that showed the ‘snap away’ patch that covered her breast for ease of removal. PLUS she was wearing a pastie!

          Now in Europe this would have been NO BIG DEAL and even though it would be page 2 of the Mirror like the daily nudes. In the USA people are just lining up to sue her. Why?
          1) she has the money and everyone feels they should rightly get some of it.

          2) People are genuinely offended by a former playboy model exposing her ‘pastie(y)’ on television. Now what about Kid Rock who holds his crotch for 3 minutes of a 4 minute song?

          Nellie has women removing tops and exposing their lingerie in almost EVERY video, yet Janet shows a pasty and they line up to sue, how does the saying go “only in America?”

          Ok more than a side note and probably a new discussion altogether, sorry.

        • #2689177

          talking about VoIP…

          by audris8 ·

          In reply to Just a side note

          Looking at voice over IP there is a ton of stuff out there. Have you checked out Shorline Teleworks? http://www.shoretel.com I don’t know how competitive their system is for a really small user, but I used it for a company with 3 sites in two states and 50 employees and it worked fabulously. Plus, you use regular analog phones.

          It’s a software based solution, not a PBX, so you buy a switch for your network room and run the phone system on an NT/XP server. When they release new features it’s truly a software release, they send you two CD’s, you do the software update, reboot the switch and Presto! new phone features (like dialing from your computer phone book….). It may be worth a look for you.

        • #2689167

          I worked in Telecom for years …

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to talking about VoIP…

          I still do some consulting on the Island but am trying to escape telecom.
          Last year I sold and configuerd over 1 million in VoIP PBX based telephony for a major grocery chain. I am extremely picky about VoIP services and have seen almost everything from a $2000 hardware solution to a $40,000 PBX with over 3000 features. Industry experience has shown me that there is no cheap solution. You MAY be able to get your voice to carry over the internet but it is far from capable telephony. Even the bigger network companies like 3-Com and AVAYA have substandard products that cost thousands. They simply cannot keep up to telecom and once you’ve used a GOOD VoIP system, everything else seems like Kracker Jack solutions.

          There are many advantages to dishing out the coin on VoIP but many people think that having a PC or software based system is great.

          If it suits your needs, that’s fine, I am very particular about features and capabilities of phone systems, I’ve seen companies invest tens of thousands and only use 20% of their systems capabilities. I use a complete unified mesasging solution at home but refrained from VoIP as the latency and stutter in cheaper systems don’t have the tuning abilities you find in more expensive proprietary systems. I can’t handle delay, lowered voice quality, lack of system features etc.

          Thanks for the tip though, I see your intent was to offer a cheap solution, there is also a local company that offers free VoIP telephone service to residents who use their internet services( Very small town) the only thing is, you can’t dial 911 or 411?? Now personally there’s a feature I would want, especially living an hour by float plane from the major hospitals.

        • #2689247

          I hear you man!

          by tomsal ·

          In reply to Tom

          Yeah when we talk to each other on the phone (she called 55 times last month..lol) I feel guilty and ante up for the phone bill. I keep telling her to ditch her cell phone (yep she uses cellular..lol) so her bill isn’t the cost of my mortgage each month.

          Oh well, at least our (mutual friend between the two of us) lives only 3 hours from my house…so she is cheaper to talk to… LOL

          I feel your pain with the costs though!!

        • #2689174

          Costs

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to I hear you man!

          In most cases my costs of calls to England are billable, that’s the point I was making though.

          THese bands are in limbo right now, it’s not touring or festival season yet and they are still spending as if they were headlining Wembly.

          I’ve told them many times, call me and I’ll email you guys (so much cheaper form England to Canada). In fact, it is cheaper for them to call on a cellphone FROM England than it is for me to call on a land line TO England.

          I chuckle at our governments who feel we are so much further ahead, if only they spent some time thinking about it instead of seeing what is done in Europe and trying for something more modern and “Canadian” Canada and the USA are just young children to the world, I think we need to listen to our parents more often. Mother isn’t ALWAYS right, just most of the time.

    • #2687723

      TV addiction

      by generalist ·

      In reply to How many hours and is it healthy?

      Was the eleven hour number a sign of addiction to just the Internet or was it a sign of addiction to things like television, reading, gaming or hobbies?

      For that matter, could eating be considered an addiction if you take more than eleven hours a week to eat, not prepare, your meals?

      • #2687705

        The eleven hours

        by oz_media ·

        In reply to TV addiction

        ONE DAY!

        I am thinking of a 12 step program but I’d never make it to step 2.

        Actually, the TV was on in the background, TV pretty much sucks so I spent all day ignoring it and loking at my LCD instead.

        • #2689206

          TV

          by w2ktechman ·

          In reply to The eleven hours

          Well, I agree that TV pretty much sucks anymore, most programs are crap and getting worse, but still I have the TV on almost always while I am doing stuff on my computer. Of course I am mostly only listening to the tv with an occasional glance.

        • #2689711

          I do the same

          by tomsal ·

          In reply to TV

          I do the same, despite that I earnestly only watch about 5 hours of TV per week where my full attention is on watching whatever show it is.

          But I do leave it on while I’m on the computer, I guess it has to do with the fact I live alone so the background noise is comforting or something weird like that..lol

          hmmm…I need a dog.

          😉

        • #2689600

          hmmmm

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to I do the same

          You know Tom, I bet there’s a dog that needs you too or a cat if you’re space restricted.

          Pets are the best company in the world, go save one from the SPCA or local shelter or something!

          He/She will love you for it, unconditionally for life.

    • #2689214

      Back on topic…

      by dc_guy ·

      In reply to How many hours and is it healthy?

      The internet is the agora of the post-industrial era. We use it for communication with other people, transacting business, education, news, games (both solitary and social), entertainment, and many other purposes. Life is changing. Who would have guessed that we’d evolve in one generation from a culture that almost gave up reading entirely, to one which spends a major portion of its day reading and writing! The internet is changing the basic attributes of human relationships, but they said the same thing about written language, printing, and telephony, yet civilization survived. People need: 1. A balance of activities, not 18 hours a day of Dungeons and Dragons; 2. A break every hour or two for the blood circulation and muscle tone; 3. A half hour of aerobic exercise 3 times a week for both mental and physical long-term health; 4. Half an hour of solar spectrum light to recalibrate our circadian rhythm every day; 5. Love — a spouse, significant other, child, or at the very least a nice dog in the house. If you’ve got those and a means of support you can spend the rest of your time on the internet and help define 21st century life.

      • #2689169
        Avatar photo

        Well as my wife gave up on me a long time ago

        by hal 9000 ·

        In reply to Back on topic…

        And now prefers to watch TV no matter what is on does a Great Dane who constantly sits beside me and leans his head on my lap while I’m at the computer supervising everything that I do count?

        Col

        • #2689165

          Most definitely!

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to Well as my wife gave up on me a long time ago

          The love of a pet is enough to counter ANY anti-social behaviour. Sometimes I think if it wasn’t for all the people, Earth would be so cool.

          Just like the bumper sticker, “The more people I meet, the more I love my dog.”

          When was the last time your dane bitched at you for spedning money on the VW? He still gets fed and loved no matter what, and that’s all that counts right, at least to him it is?

        • #2698470
          Avatar photo

          It is worse than that

          by hal 9000 ·

          In reply to Most definitely!

          He gets under there with me. It was at first a bit unnerving to be working quietly under a car and then feel a warm wet breath on the back of you’re neck. This generally resutled in the rapid lifting of the head banging it on the floor of the car or whatever was directly above and then reacting to the pain by bangin it on the concreat floor.

          No I’m used to being supervised by the dog and I just get on with my work even though he does insist in the constasnt pat or scratch but he is careful how he dose this he just exerts more preasure on my legs so I pat him.

          Great Danes are somethig totally different as you don’t own them but they own you or at least that is the way that they think and it is quite interesting to watch them do something for you as they show they are only doing it under sufference and you always know who the “Boss” actually is.

          It was quite funny when the kids where little we couldn’t displine them with the dogs around as they would get between the child and the adult and cry but at the same time when the kids got to them they would just walk past and swing their hips and send the kid flying apparently they thought nothing of punishing the child when they upset the dogs but heaven help anyone else who tried to get near the kids. When my daughter was very young she ysed to walk the dog which stood 37 inches at the sholder and she was not visible from the other side unless you counted her legs. I can stillto this day see an old woman who thought she was protecting the child from this big vicious dog trying to get the child away from the dog and the dog constantly being between hewr and the child whit her getting no where near the child. The reality of the position was he was talking the girl for a walk and heaven help anyone who tried to interfere with one of the kids while he was walking them.

          Col

        • #2698458

          Yes you are a mechanic aren’t you

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to It is worse than that

          “This generally resutled in the rapid lifting of the head banging it on the floor of the car or whatever was directly above and then reacting to the pain by bangin it on the concreat floor.”

          Common problem while doing backyard jobs. The worst part is a freezing day (OK yuo can’t relate but here’s a story anyway).
          I had a tranny swap to do for a friend’s BMW one winter. I had to go to his home, dig a trench in the 2′ of snow around his car to work on it.

          Needless to say, after removing the first four rear U-joint bolts, hands are VERY numb and you can barely feel your fingertips to turn the bolts.

          Placing a 7/16’s on them you didn’t know how well you were grabbing the hidden bolt heads, slip and your knuckles hit nasty thin tin heat shield on exhaust. Four bolts out and four bolts in hitting the same sharpo piece of tin with cold hands just wears on you. the rest of the swap was easy, I will never forget the pain when my hands thawed though. The double headbang you mentioned and those god awful heat shields everywhere just drive me nuts. Unless you’ve done it you simply cannot relate to the amount of pain you must ignore to get the job done, your headbang was a flashback to when I didn’t have a hoist, never again. I doled out HUGE money and got a four poster, dug a 5′ trench in the shop for ease and have never regretted it. Just like tools, sure you can swap a carb with a screw driver and needlenose pliers but once you have the right tools you never go back.

        • #2689132

          Dogs have a special place in the development of our species

          by dc_guy ·

          In reply to Well as my wife gave up on me a long time ago

          Humans and dogs voluntarily formed the first multi-species community. At the time (ca. 10,000BCE) we were living in groups of about 200, all at least barely acquainted and most blood relatives. Our instincts kept us from doing harm to members of “the tribe.” But they also commanded us to fight viciously against other humans who tried to muscle in on our territory, even if they looked and behaved just like us. Then suddenly we learned to rise above our instincts and love “folks” of an entirely different species. So different that we couldn’t even use our unique language skills to accelerate getting to know each other. Yet we learned it was to our mutual advantage to get along with another “tribe.” This skill came in really handy as we developed first agriculture, and began to congregate in cities so large that most people were strangers, then civilization, which requires us to be “civil” to people on the other side of the world whom we only know as abstractions. If it weren’t for the “people skills” we gained as a result of living with dogs, I wonder whether civilization could ever have developed, considering that some days it seems that it just barely works at all as it is. So yes, Colonel, your dog absolutely counts! Perhaps you should spend more time contemplating your relationship with him: love goes both ways. Your wife needs help. Depression? Biological clock? Mid-life crisis? Menopause? Empty nest? (Or is tv a lot better where you live?) Perhaps you can provide it. You could always get her a dog of her own, then you could go on walks together, just the four of ya. ^_^

        • #2698468
          Avatar photo

          Actually she has her own Bitch

          by hal 9000 ·

          In reply to Dogs have a special place in the development of our species

          As we used to breed Great Danes and I was the “Heartless Bastard” who kept selling the puppies much to her and the kids displeasure.

          It is just that she no longer expects me to tear myself away from my computers {As if there is any life without computers!} But she does get to see me when I do work on one of her cars or some other device generally a long time after it has broken down and needs repair.

          But right now I’m spending my time between a new restoration project on a 1973 Mercedes Coupe and reloading my own computer as it suffered a user problem one of the techs who works for me needed to wipe a HDD and I told him to use “My Computer” meaning the one with the covers off that I use for this purpose but he actually used my personal computer and expected the HDD to be reconised by the BIOS and managed to wipe my main program/Data drive so I’ve been recovering all the files on that while I’ve been working on “She Who Must Be Obeyed Car” now that I have some form of AV I can at least grab my incoming e-mail but as it has already been well over 2 days I shudder to think just how much there will be.

          Col

    • #2689123

      It may be addiction but,…

      by damonpolich ·

      In reply to How many hours and is it healthy?

      I am a IT Manager for a small company. Most of my job involves going on the internet to find software for users, learn better ways to run the network etc… I am extreme adict to the internet but I get paid for most of the time spent online.

    • #2689122

      Wee Off Topic: VoIP Solutions

      by tomsal ·

      In reply to How many hours and is it healthy?

      Since we got going with the costs of communicating with our friends / loved ones from various points on this mud ball called Earth, I got to thinking…

      What is everyone’s thoughs on ditching their traditional phone companies for one of this “up and coming” — so called “Broadband Telephone Companies”….like for example Vonage (www.vonage.com).

      Isn’t this some form of VoIP?

      They say that for $39.95 a month you can talk UNLIMITED to ANYONE in the 50 states. AND if the other person is also a Vonage customer – the call is unlimited as well for this monthly charge, no matter where they are on the planet.

      Sounds kind of too good to be true for us folks with dear friends from 100 to a few thousand miles away.

      What’s the catch?

      Insights?

      • #2689084

        A few Canadian catches

        by oz_media ·

        In reply to Wee Off Topic: VoIP Solutions

        You have an intersting point.

        the other day a flyer was mailed out in my neighbourhood for a Canadian company offering a similar VoIP UNLIMITED calls plan. You got to keep your old telephone number and it followed you world wide. If my area code is 250 in BC and I was in England, any local 250 calls would come to me in England at no cost! Sounds too goodf to be true doesn’t it??

        So lets see,
        1) Your telephone is FAR more stable than your PC, I don’t care how well you prepare for disaster, the POTS telephone network is a hundred times stronger and redundant.

        2) So, there’s a fire down the street and your power goes out, or in the case of New York, you are stuck with the 9/11 incident. Your battery backup kicks in and your PC power is restored, the first thing you want to do is track down your son at school so you use your cheapo VoIP connection to call directory assistance and get the number to your sons school, no answer, your call cannot be completed as dialled. VoIP services don’t offer 411 access.

        3) Failing to reach your sons school, you decide to cal the police and see if you can get an update on the school. You dail 911 and nothing happens, your call cannot be completed as dialled. VoIP services don’t offer 911 access either.

        4) You go to another office and pick up the telephone, you have dial tone and call 411 get the number and then contact the school to find out all is OK.

        First of all, the telephone works, your PC may not unless adequate backup is in place. A standard UPS used in most home applications will allow you 60 minutes to shut down your system and protect open files from corruption.

        Secondly, emergency services aren’t covered under your new VoIP service.

        Thirdly, what makes you think the company that provides your internet access and VoIP services will be working in a disaster? They aren’t your business network, just a small residential VoIP service that couldn’t give a damn if your call is made or not, especially when they are also facing similar problems.

        Your telephone although very simply in appearance and use is built upon a VERY solid and carefully built platform, redundancy for emergencies is in place as well as emergency and directory access. No VoIP system to date will outlive the POTS system, although the features of VoIP and Unified messaging may seem more complex, cheap or hosted VoIP systems are a waste of time.

        • #2689715

          Great Info – Thanks!

          by tomsal ·

          In reply to A few Canadian catches

          Thanks for your very good and informational post. I was generally thinking along those lines as well. I guess those VoIP services still are useful, cost effective if you do A LOT of long distance calling but sounds to me it should only be used as a secondary “long distance calling” phone. I pay $33 a month for my landline phone bill on average, that obvioulsy doesn’t include my long distance calls (which can get up there).

          It would cost me about $75 per month to support both phones with unlimited LD.

          Hmmm…food for thought I guess, but after your info I definitely wouldn’t get rid of my landline phone.

        • #2689599

          FINALLY!!!!

          by oz_media ·

          In reply to Great Info – Thanks!

          I can’t believe I actually offered some useful info for someone, I must be getting ill.

          So as not to be confused:
          When I was referring to disaster scenarios they were correct but take note, you cannot dial 411 OR 911 from a leased VoIP service in Canada (even without a disaster) they just don’t provide the operator services as they are bypassing the telco.

          Very useful service huh?

          OM

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