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One of you correspondents
recently asked about the installation of satellite telephones by Telefónica.
Although satellite telephones are available at very considerable cost they have never been installed by Telefónica.
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telephones
in remote areas of Spain |
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It is more likely that what is being referred to is a TRAC telephone
(Teléfono Rural Acceso Cellular) more commonly known as a Teléfono del
Campo. These telephones work on the old analogue mobile telephone system which is shortly to be discontinued and this is why Telefónica are not installing them any more. |
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telephones
in remote areas of Spain |
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They are to be replaced by a system known as LMDS (Local Multipoint Distribution System) which uses microwave frequencies and is therefore compatible with broadband internet access. The Spanish government has obliged Telefónica to replace all TRAC telephones with LMDS by the end of 2004 but I have been unable to find mention of the situation of prospective customers who have no telephone at all. |
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telephones
in remote areas of Spain |
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Typing LMDS into Google will bring forth a mass of information on the subject but you will need to insert 'LMDS España' to find out how it applies to Spain. |
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telephones
in remote areas of Spain |
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Despite living in a remote area I was able to persuade Telefónica to give me a landline telephone but they will normally only do this if
they can connect to the nearest point by putting in a maximum of six telegraph poles. The poles are normally placed 40 metres apart so this
gives a total distance of 240 metres. Logically if there are, say, twenty local people who require a telephone and each is allowed six telegraph poles this should allow a connection to be made up to 4,8km. away. |
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telephones
in remote areas of Spain |
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However, Telefónica is not known for its logic and it would probably be impossible to convince them of this. |
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telephones
in remote areas of Spain |
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The best way to approach this problem is to write in Spanish to Telefónica in Madrid and address the letter to:
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El Sr. Director
Telefónica de España S.A.
Gran Vía
Madrid
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