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Zorro

(16,465 posts)
Wed Nov 27, 2024, 08:34 AM Nov 27

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 27 OP
LA Times used to be a great paper. Toughest paywall ever. Try this link ... marble falls Nov 27 #1
Always check the archive. ... littlemissmartypants Nov 27 #2
Landlines? Kilgore Nov 27 #3
Why? quaint Nov 27 #4
That makes no sense Kilgore Nov 27 #7
Most of the people I am referring to live in very rural areas and subsist on Social Security. quaint Nov 28 #8
No, just experience Kilgore Nov 29 #10
Wow, you seem to believe the people I'm referring to would be better off without any outside communication. quaint Nov 30 #12
Nope Kilgore Nov 30 #13
huh? IbogaProject Nov 29 #9
Actually copper regulation is beginning to going away Kilgore Nov 29 #11
"where other services are available" quaint Dec 1 #15
We get our internet through a copper wire pair, since 1998. hunter Dec 1 #14
Copper thieves and corporate thieves. Sneederbunk Nov 27 #5
Crapitalism. Nuf said? GreenWave Nov 27 #6

littlemissmartypants

(25,867 posts)
2. Always check the archive. ...
Wed Nov 27, 2024, 09:11 AM
Nov 27

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

(1,760 posts)
7. That makes no sense
Wed Nov 27, 2024, 08:25 PM
Nov 27

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

(3,645 posts)
8. Most of the people I am referring to live in very rural areas and subsist on Social Security.
Thu Nov 28, 2024, 06:47 AM
Nov 28

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

quaint

(3,645 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, 07:31 AM
Nov 30

Kilgore

(1,760 posts)
13. Nope
Sat Nov 30, 2024, 02:05 PM
Nov 30

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

IbogaProject

(3,771 posts)
9. huh?
Fri Nov 29, 2024, 01:07 PM
Nov 29

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

(1,760 posts)
11. Actually copper regulation is beginning to going away
Fri Nov 29, 2024, 07:02 PM
Nov 29

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

(39,055 posts)
14. We get our internet through a copper wire pair, since 1998.
Sun Dec 1, 2024, 03:16 PM
Dec 1

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

4GLTE internet is too expensive for streaming television.

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