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79 points bertman | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0s | source
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buttocks ◴[] No.45138851[source]
In case you think fax is now ancient history, there are tens of millions of faxes still crossing the PSTN every day. Fax is alive and well!
replies(2): >>45139664 #>>45141471 #
ajb ◴[] No.45141471[source]
They don't work the same way they used to though. Since old school PSTN hardware is being replaced with VoIP, there is a hacky protocol called T.38 which does just enough to convince each side that it's talking to a real fax, and decodes and forwards the data over IP.
replies(2): >>45142022 #>>45142576 #
doctorshady ◴[] No.45142022[source]
Circuit switched class five offices are still very plentiful though, and DS3-based transit networks are still nationwide. So if you want it, you can absolutely still experience phone networks without voip.
replies(2): >>45143307 #>>45151188 #
1. estimator7292 ◴[] No.45151188{3}[source]
I doubt that very much. Pretty much no telco has used circuit switching in decades. Everyone moved to packet switched network a long long time ago. Even if you have a Real Landline, it's just plugged into a VoIP box at your nearest telco branch.