MSGID: 1:396/45.29@fidonet 1d115975   
   REPLY: 642.canada@1:2320/105 2c04b19a   
   PID: OpenXP/5.0.58 (Win32)   
   CHRS: ASCII 1   
   TZUTC: -0500   
   Hello Rob Mccart!   
      
   ** On Sunday 02.02.25 - 00:59, Rob Mccart wrote to AUGUST ABOLINS:   
      
    RM> Every year when I was wintering in town I put the phone on   
    RM> 'Vacation' over the winter, which saved me a little money,   
    RM> and every spring I wondered if I shouldn't go to just a   
    RM> cell phone. Probably the only reason I haven't done that   
    RM> yet is because the land line here is so cheap ($29.75) and   
    RM> my cell phone is pretty old so I worry about it suddenly   
    RM> having a problem and having no other sourse of   
    RM> communication since my cell phone is also my internet   
    RM> connection. I just got used to using them for different   
    RM> things and didn't change over..   
      
   So... you use the cellphone in mobile hotspot mode?   
      
   $29.75 for landline is pretty low, but that's probably because     
   it's still part of a [lower tier] party-line system.   
      
      
    RM> party line system where they've changed over from 4   
    RM> customers on a line to 2 customers who can share the line   
    RM> without ever knowing someone else could also using it at   
    RM> the same time.   
      
   That's interesting.  So.. when the phone rings. it's always for     
   you and not anyone else on the party-line?  I wonder how they     
   accomplish that.  Our initial phone line was a partyline too     
   but it was always a distinctive ring pattern that everyone     
   heard but indicated the specific recipient.  Then it converted     
   to a dedicated line (and touch-tone capable) not too long     
   later.   
      
      
    RM> The easiest way to see this was back when I was on dial-up   
    RM> internet and the fastest speed I could get was 26k instead   
    RM> of 56k..   
      
   Yep.. DSL does not appear to be a future option with those     
   lines.  Infact, DSL is being phased out.  The great Ontario     
   initiative seems to be fiber installations now, I think.   
      
   See: https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-connects-making-high-    
   speed-internet-accessible-in-every-community   ..on your DT     
   browser [the map doesn't render on a phone].   
      
      
    AA>> I use a ZTE mobile router that houses the SIM card. [...]   
      
    RM> My sister has something like that where they use their old   
    RM> land line phones through a cell phone, although I don't   
    RM> think they had to have a SIM card in anything but one of   
    RM> their cell phones. It just is set to share the signal   
    RM> somehow.   
      
   That's another type of unit where you just cradle your     
   cellphone on its base and "link" it to any cordless phones you     
   may have elsewhere.  But I think they require Bluetooth     
   handsets.   I don't think they offer wifi/internet though.   
      
   With my system, I can continue to use existing cordless     
   handsets or the RJ11 house wiring.  One of mine is specifically     
   the MF279T (unlocked), ..and it was only $8 at a thrift shop.   
      
   I have a couple of other older units, (originally intended for     
   people who wanted to try that solution) ..but they are still     
   locked to a specific carrier.   
      
   What cell company are you using? I have a unit that is locked     
   to Rogers and another locked to Bell.  I want to unlock them so     
   that cheaper consumer-grade carriers like Chatr, NoFrills, or     
   Luckymobile could be used with them.   
      
      
    RM> I think they both have Blood Pressure problems, my sister   
    RM> had cancer (in remission now) and she broke her neck being   
    RM> thrown   
      
   [...]   
      
      
    RM> My brother has severe 'brittle' diabetes which mainly   
    RM> affected the nerves in his feet to the point where he   
    RM> can't drive anymore   
      
   All the more critical to avoid any kind of illness or injury     
   yourself!   
      
   --    
     ../|ug   
      
   --- OpenXP 5.0.58   
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