Alternative to buried line phone service?

Run your own cable

Cable=cheap!

also running the phone line on top of the ground by the drive does not sound too good to me, a tractor bushhog would take care of the wire quickly!!

Verizon is our phone co too (I hate it when you don't have a choice...) our line comes from their pole on the corner of our yard and we have it draped over our fence and into the box mounted by the basement. Verizon is out here all the time for storm repairs and they never say anything about the line being exposed or just laying there. Maybe its a county or state regulation requiring new lines be burried?

Carla

I find it odd that you would have to pay lease on the light poles, thats usually paid by the phone company. Unless you are the only one back there.

a demarc point is where the phone company wiring ends and the customers begins.

with this in mind I'd do as Hermit says and build a small buiding near the property line and run your wire to it. They shouldn't deny service from there.

verizon just upped my bill by 5 bucks to cover 911 service.

its still cheaper than the landline was. I have enough free time and unlimited eve and weekend time to work fine.
for the aggrivation and expense i wouldnt even think about installing a line where you are talking about unless you want cable internet then all you need is the poles.

Well, this thread has pulled me out of lurking. I've been reading this forum for awhile now, and have really enjoyed the information, just a bit shy when it comes to talking.

Anyway, last winter I bought six acres of dense oak, greenbriar and sand just north of Abilene Texas. Somehow in the middle of West Texas I managed to buy a place without a single mesquite tree and nary an ounce of red clay... I almost feel homesick for them when I'm out there working.

The phone company out there (who only does underground) told me they would not build me service until I had a SEPTIC TANK! I was speechless. I tried to explain to the woman that I only wanted to have my travel trailer out there while I built my house (not exactly truthful, since I expect to be in the trailer for a good long time) and was not planning on having a septic system at all. She just could not wrap her mind around the idea that I was not planning on having a "flushing toliet." Finally I just asked her for the Construction manager or foreman and let her get back to filing her nails. I've still not spoken to anyone else (phone line has been on the bottom of the TO DO list), but I plan on dragging him out to the place and showing him exactly what I want.

Thanks for the great forum,

Rowdy

You phoneco should not bother you with THEIR problem of leasing pole space from the power company. Leasing pole space is not an unusual practice for a phoneco, it goes on all the time and is the utility company's responsibility -- not yours.

The phone comapny has an obligation to provide you and everyone else in your area with economical telephone service, should you request it. That is part of the phoneco's contract with your state utility commission to be alowed to operate a franchise in your area. In return for providing economical service to EVERYONE in theor area, they receive a subsidy from in-state long distance charges to cover situations like yours.

That said, you need to talk to your state utility commission and inform them that your phoneco is attempting to overcharge you for basic telephone service. You will probably prevail, prompting the utility commission to fax a demand to your phoneco. If you fail, you lost nothing but a phone call. Don't deal with your local phoneco anymore on this issue!

If you can't get satisfaction from your utility commission, I would take the previous advice left by another poster and have a phone line installed at your property line in a small structure. Then I would get a good quality cordless phone and place the base station in the small structure. You should have no difficulty finding an economical cordless that can handle 500 feet.