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Could PSTN Go Away By 2018?
An anonymous reader writes "If current rates hold, only 6% of the U.S. population will still be served by the public switched telephone network by the end of 2018. Tom Evslin reports that the 'Technical Advisory Council (TAC) to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recommended last week that the FCC set a date certain for the sunset of the PSTN rather than let the service fade slowly into oblivion as it is doing now.' Since doing 'nothing' isn't really possible, he suggests: (possibly) end(ing) the Universal Service Fund subsidies, ensuring PSTN-dependent services like E911 work on new technologies, and assuring that everyone who now has PSTN service has access to either a broadband or cellular communication alternative."
Sure few user use it, but remaining users are pure Luddutes.
Just look what happened when analog broadcasting was switched off.
Sure few user use it, but remaining users are pure Luddutes.
Just look what happened when analog broadcasting was switched off.
You extrapolation of the demise of POTS is just silly. Cell service does not work everywhere. Therefore no business depends on cell service as their only communication line. Cell service continues to me more expensive that POTS, have less coverage, less reliability, and less call quality. At this time to plan the removal of POTS seems like a conspiracy to reduce options, to force people to spend money on equipment, and to increase monthly costs. I note that you personal web site will not work with Windows IE. You seem to think that your personal choices are the best for everyone.
First of all, we are AMERICANS over here, but that aside...
Yes, you are Americans, but only for 2 reasons, and not the reasons you may think: 1. You don't really have an appropriate country population identifier so 'American' came into use. 2. The population of the USA is in the super continent of America.
It is a technically incorrect and fuzzy term. The long name of your country is "United States of America". Now the argument posed by many is that the "United States of Mexico" uses the name Mexico, so the "United States of America" can use America. This however is incorrect because of the usage of the word "of" in these two cases. In the first case, America already existed as a super continent, so the usage of the word "of" in "United States of America" means "composed or made from" (e.g.: A dress of silk). However in the case of "United States of Mexico" where there was no Mexico before its formation the usage of the word of means "specified as, named or called" (e.g.: the Garden of Eden). As you can see, the short name of "United States of America" is actually "United States", and not "America".
This is further reinforced by not only scholarly use but your governments own use. When needing to abbreviate the country name on maps or globes it is always "United States of America" or "United States", but never simply "America". Also the initialism "USA" can be further shortened to "US", as seen on the top level domain name, in various military services (USMC, US Navy, US Coastguard, USS for United States Ship), in government agencies (United States Senate, United States Congress), etc. However USA is never shortened to simply A, there is no American Marine Corps, American Navy, AS for American Ship, American Senate, etc.
The only reason "American" is in widespread use is because, in english anyways, saying "United Statsian" sounds weird and has more syllables. The reason why most citizens in the US like to call their country "America" is due to ego and the education system. Everyone else in the world refers to your country by its proper name: the United States, or "The States" for short.