From: stephen@sprunk.org   
      
   On 23-Jun-14 10:24, Robert Heller wrote:   
   > At Mon, 23 Jun 2014 07:42:42 -0700 (PDT) hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com   
   > wrote:   
   >> On Monday, June 23, 2014 8:56:04 AM UTC-4, Robert Heller wrote:   
   >>> Building fire alarm systems *still* use analog modems to   
   >>> automagically dial 911 (actually they make a modem connection to   
   >>> a central dispatcher who in turn dials 911). These systems *must*   
   >>> be connected to a dedicated analog (copper) phone line.  In some   
   >>> cases, they need *two* analog phone lines, with the second line   
   >>> being a backup.   
   >>   
   >> The telcos say they want to get rid of old POTS lines. (I think the   
   >> charge for a 'metallic' line is very substantial these days.)   
   >   
   > Yes indeed, *very* substantial, compared to fiber, where available.   
      
   Copper lines are far cheaper than copper, where available.  The problem   
   is that Verizon is going around cutting copper lines to prevent their   
   competitors from having access due to a boneheaded FCC decision.   
      
   >> What will happen to all those alarm services and fax machines when   
   >> analog is abandoned?   
   >   
   > I expect fax machines will (eventually) be replaced by   
   > scan-and-attach-to-email, although it might be an uphill battle in   
   > some cases.   
      
   With T.38, that's effectively what's happening now, except you don't   
   have to change the end terminals.  For some stupid reason, fax vendors   
   _still_ aren't shipping email-capable machines.   
      
   > For *some* reason faxes are seen as 'secure' (?) and   
   > EMail as not 'secure' (probably true, although it can be made secure   
   > with PGP technology, along with DKIM and DMARC as well to deal with   
   > spoofing, which does exist).   
      
   That's because corporate/government IT dept rules for fax machines   
   predate widespread adoption of email/Internet access, and they haven't   
   yet realized their faxes are _already_ going over email because nobody   
   bothered to tell them.  If anyone had, fax machines would probably be   
   banned overnight.   
      
   > I think the alarm services use a 'plug in' module for the connection   
   > and I guess they will need an 'upgrade' to a new 'plug in' module eg   
   > replacing the modem with a NIC-ish (Ethernet-ish) device.   
      
   My alarm service uses cellular data; the "upgrade" was free.   
      
   S   
      
   --   
   Stephen Sprunk         "God does not play dice."  --Albert Einstein   
   CCIE #3723         "God is an inveterate gambler, and He throws the   
   K5SSS        dice at every possible opportunity." --Stephen Hawking   
      
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