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 Gojira45
Armchair Explorer
Registered: 08/04/08
Posts: 295
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 Utility Company Ownership Of Equipment
#8884266 - 09/05/08 09:00 PM (2 months, 28 days ago) |
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I had a slight incident the other day with a telephone company employee. After having telephone problems for the past several years, I called their tech people and arranged to have a tech look at my line. I've repeatedly told them that the problem is outside of my house - several people on my street have complained of the same issue.
Let me add that I have young children, and my wife REFUSES to have anyone come into the house when they are home.
So, I'm home when telephone employee comes, and the first thing he asks is to go into the basement. I reply that the problem is on the line, not in my house. He says he needs to check. I reply that I've got kids, and no one comes into the house.
This is where it gets interesting. He replies that the telephone company owns the equipment in my house, and he needs to inspect it. (I know what equipment he is referring to - it is a simplistic 'circuit breaker' that every house has on its phone line - and I also knew mine was fine) I replied - tho not this eloquently - that they may own the equipment, but I own the door down to it & he is not going through it.
Things were starting to get a little heated, so I just diffused it & he left (without looking at the outside line.. grr), but it really made me wonder about the equipment that is in a person's house, that they don't own, and the rights of the equipment's owners to access the equipment. For example, you probably have:
Above mentioned phone equipment
Water meter + remote monitor (they get readings via radio transmitter)
Cable company equipment
Anyone know what rights they have to access the equipment? What legal standing they have if they 'see something suspicious'? And I don't keep anything in my basement - but obviously, say I'd really pissed this guy off but then relented & let him in.. and he decides to fabricate a story... you can probably see where I'm going with this.
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Someone said:
"but anyways i live in a bad state one of three states out of the whole 51 or howerver many there are states..."
Eep.
 
Edited by Gojira45 (09/05/08 09:02 PM)
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 johnm214
 
Registered: 05/31/07
Posts: 7,022
Loc: Americas
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Re: Utility Company Ownership Of Equipment [Re: Gojira45]
#8884325 - 09/05/08 09:19 PM (2 months, 28 days ago) |
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I believe you live in Iran. The phone company is allah's messenger and thus has the right to your phone, wife, and children.
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Gojira45
Armchair Explorer
Registered: 08/04/08
Posts: 295
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Last seen: 45 minutes, 55 seconds
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Re: Utility Company Ownership Of Equipment [Re: Gojira45]
#8884352 - 09/05/08 09:26 PM (2 months, 28 days ago) |
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Haha - but seriously.. they do own this equipment. Granted, this dude was being an ass, but the question is valid, no? If the municipal water company employee shows up stating that my water meter is malfunctioning and he needs to repair it NOW! - what rights do you have? How long can you put it off? Verify it's actually not working..?
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Someone said:
"but anyways i live in a bad state one of three states out of the whole 51 or howerver many there are states..."
Eep.
Edited by Gojira45 (09/05/08 09:29 PM)
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Chemy
Ëmþàñädá §790.23
Registered: 10/05/07
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Re: Utility Company Ownership Of Equipment [Re: Gojira45]
#8884416 - 09/05/08 09:45 PM (2 months, 28 days ago) |
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Quote:
What legal standing they have if they 'see something suspicious'?
Then you should not have anything illegal, anyone that enters your house consent or not, can report what they see to LE and LE can obtain a search warrant based on a statement from a "credible witness" (not anonymous basically).
Breaking the law is not cool no matter what your peers tell you, just say no.
Quote:
Above mentioned phone equipment
Water meter + remote monitor (they get readings via radio transmitter)
Cable company equipment
Phone equipment should be on the exterior
Water meter should be near the street
Cable company equipment should near the street (or pole) and exterior.
The utility equipment for apartment buildings is different in that there is a utility/electrical room where all water meters, electrical meters and phone boxes are kept in that room, all the worker needs to do is ask you if your phone,electricity or water is working or not.
Edited by Chemy (09/05/08 10:00 PM)
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johnm214
Registered: 05/31/07
Posts: 7,022
Loc: Americas
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Re: Utility Company Ownership Of Equipment [Re: Gojira45]
#8884511 - 09/05/08 10:12 PM (2 months, 28 days ago) |
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Quote:
Gojira45 said:
Haha - but seriously.. they do own this equipment. Granted, this dude was being an ass, but the question is valid, no? If the municipal water company employee shows up stating that my water meter is malfunctioning and he needs to repair it NOW! - what rights do you have? How long can you put it off? Verify it's actually not working..?
Its a valid question and you missed the import of my statement. I don't know if your in iran or zimbabwee or alaska or hawaii.
How then could I know what stupid non-equitable rules your local dept. of monopolies and industry payoffs has established?
I could tell you the situation at common law, but that likely has no relevance as your state/country likely has stupid rules that allow the telephone company to barge in your place under certain stupid conditions that make no sense but nevertheless exist because nobody reads their contracts and nobody checks what bullshit legilators are doing (like delegating their authority to unelected utility commissions that get carte blanch authority to pass laws in contravention of the established routes in your state/country constitution).
Basically you likely have some quasi-legislative authority that has decided contracts are not needed and they can make laws by decleration that limit your property rights. And since I don't know where the phone equipment is located I can't tell you what particular encroachment upon your contractual and common law rights the phone company is allowed.
Knowing who your phone company is would also help, and the answers to your questions are likely written in your contract- though the phone company likely has other rights not included cuz they have special bureaucrats that write special laws for them.
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Brainiac
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Re: Utility Company Ownership Of Equipment [Re: johnm214]
#8884684 - 09/05/08 11:03 PM (2 months, 28 days ago) |
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Quote:
Gojira45 said:
Haha - but seriously.. they do own this equipment. Granted, this dude was being an ass, but the question is valid, no? If the municipal water company employee shows up stating that my water meter is malfunctioning and he needs to repair it NOW! - what rights do you have? How long can you put it off? Verify it's actually not working..?
As, long as you can go with out running water.
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I'm dyslexia, so get the fuck over it. "Ardet Nec Consumitur" (burned but not destroyed) People shouldn't be afraid of it's government.The government should be afraid of it's people..
Me
LTB seeds/cutings of SS02, Juul's Giant
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Gojira45
Armchair Explorer
Registered: 08/04/08
Posts: 295
Loc: Travelling Without Moving
Last seen: 45 minutes, 55 seconds
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Re: Utility Company Ownership Of Equipment [Re: johnm214]
#8885522 - 09/06/08 07:11 AM (2 months, 28 days ago) |
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Quote:
johnm214 said:
I believe you live in Iran. The phone company is allah's messenger and thus has the right to your phone, wife, and children.
Honestly sorry here - I actually meant to mention it in the OP, but slipped my mind.
Living in Massachusetts, USA.
Using Verizon.
Quote:
johnm214 said:
nobody checks what bullshit legilators are doing (like delegating their authority to unelected utility commissions that get carte blanch authority to pass laws in contravention of the established routes in your state/country constitution).
You've hit my concern on the head. Actually - since I really keep nothing incriminating in the basement, it was only because the guy was being an ass and that I've been reading this forum that I put up a fight - well, that and if my wife had found out she would have thrown a minor shitstorm... as I mentioned, she wants no one we don't know into the house when the kids are home.
--------------------
Someone said:
"but anyways i live in a bad state one of three states out of the whole 51 or howerver many there are states..."
Eep.
Edited by Gojira45 (09/06/08 07:18 AM)
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Seuss
Error: divide byzero
Registered: 04/27/01
Posts: 16,838
Loc: Caribbean
Last seen: 2 hours, 3 seconds
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Re: Utility Company Ownership Of Equipment [Re: Gojira45]
#8885683 - 09/06/08 08:28 AM (2 months, 28 days ago) |
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> He replies that the telephone company owns the equipment in my house
In the US, the phone company owns everything from the CO (central office) to the dmarc (demarcation point) on the house. They are responsible for this equipment and cannot bill the consumer for work done between the CO and the dmarc. On most residential properties, the dmarc is located outside of the home, usually in the form of a small box. Unless local law specifies otherwise, the phone company has no right to enter your home, regardless of where the dmarc is located. However, they will need access to the dmarc in order to verify that the problem is on their end (non-billable) and not your end (billable).
Here are a few examples of typical dmarcs:
http://www.newroadstelecom.com/dmarc.asp
http://public.alexoren.com/Wires/NID.JPG
http://www.samnet.net/images/imgDEMARC.gif
I've never seen one inside a residence in the US. Doing so would be like the power company placing the power meter inside the house instead of outside. It just doesn't make sense. (Commercial properties are another matter and usually have a wiring closet that contains the dmarcs for the various businesses along with hardware owned by the phone company to split out the various lines.) The following image is typical of a commercial wiring closet setup with most of the equipment owned by the phone company:
http://www.tippenring.com/images/telecom/cm/cm.jpg
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Just another spore in the wind.
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Brainiac
Ghost
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Posts: 9,501
Loc: I will know,when I'm ther...
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Re: Utility Company Ownership Of Equipment [Re: Gojira45]
#8885963 - 09/06/08 09:52 AM (2 months, 27 days ago) |
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Why not, just use a cell phone ?..
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I'm dyslexia, so get the fuck over it. "Ardet Nec Consumitur" (burned but not destroyed) People shouldn't be afraid of it's government.The government should be afraid of it's people..
Me
LTB seeds/cutings of SS02, Juul's Giant
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