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From: reh@ccd700.UUCP (reh)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: Lightning and Ma Bell
Message-ID: <658@ccd700.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 12-Aug-87 11:43:03 EDT
Article-I.D.: ccd700.658
Posted: Wed Aug 12 11:43:03 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 15-Aug-87 16:49:30 EDT
References: <8708042054.AA02621@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Distribution: world
Organization: Ford CCD, Dearborn Michigan
Lines: 19
Summary: telephones with *integrated circuits* get zapped

In article <8708042054.AA02621@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>, RANCK@VTVM1.BITNET.UUCP writes:
>    Telephones, at least the old AT&T phones, are *sturdy* and can take a
> lot of abuse.  Ever wonder why $10 telephones don't seem to last?  They
> can't take a voltage spike, that's why.
> Bill Ranck

The old telephones had no integrated circuits or even transistors in them.
The new phones all have integrated circuits and it's easy to arc over a
gap a few microns wide inside the chip.  The lightning arrestor that Bell
put on your phone line (where it comes in the house and connects to the
inside wires, with a groung wire running to a water pipe) will not react
fast enough to save an integrated circuit.
......................................................................
Bob Harold                      313-845-5404   
Ford Motor Co., DPTC room B-206 ...!ihnp4!mibte!ccd700!eed090!bob
17000 Rotunda Drive             Disclaimer: The views expressed might
Dearborn, MI 48121-6010         not be those of my employer or myself
Have questions about life?  Read the original design manual - the Bible.
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