IP: re: HDTV, spectrum allocation, etc.

[David Farber <farber@cis.upenn.edu>]

Date: Tue, 19 Aug 1997 08:15:59 -0400
To: farber@cis.upenn.edu
From: Charles Brownstein <cbrownst@cnri.reston.va.us>




Willis makes the case for sustaining a broad mix of transport capabilities.


I thought I was doing just that by keeping my POTS service when I got ISDN
(POTS  remains powered when the electrical service fails, ISDN not).
Sunday both died, due to a line surge failure in the neighborhood. No news
via TV as the power was off, and the rechargeable batteries were not. Ditto
the PCS cell phone, which lives in the drawer for emergencies.


When power was restored after 5 hours, the phone remained out. Then the
phone company jury rigged a bridge line to a neighbors house (wire hung on
the trees!) while they planned to deal with the conduit, which is owned by
the power company, and shared by the Cable company). The line is noisy so
modems (POTS and ISDN) don't link up (and the POTS modem can't find a dial
tone, so maybe its fried). More, all the motion detecting security lights
(installed two weeks ago) no longer work so they must be fried too. The
wife is stuck waiting for repairmen who threaten that the problem may be in
the house, and then don't show up, so she's fried too. At least the car
runs so I can transport myself out of there!






Charles N. Brownstein
Executive Director
Cross-Industry Working Team (XIWT)
Corporation for National Research Initiatives
1895 Preston White Drive
Suite 100
Reston, VA 22191-5434


Internet mail: cbrownst@cnri.reston.va.us
Web: <http://www.xiwt.org>
Tel: (703) 620-8990
Fax: (703) 620-0913