Wouldn't they use some sort of measuring equipment? Exchanges could have
equipment in them that would send a signal down the line / capacitance /
signal reflection / bandwidth sweeps etc to measure the length. At the same
time the line could be tested for problems... Seems like a more
realistic/accurate option to me...

----- Original Message -----
From: "Steven Perich" <steve@clubpoint.co.nz>
To: "David Mill" <maildave@inspire.net.nz>; <adsl@lists.unixathome.org>
Sent: Monday, October 07, 2002 1:31 PM
Subject: Re: dsl service in Manurewa

> > The distance is worked out by Telecom, by tracing along the wiring that
> > leads back to the exchange. Normally this wiring would follow streets,
so
> > you could class the distance as being the distance it takes to drive
from
> > your house to the closest phone exchange. This will also be the exchange
> > that your phone in connected to, which is not always the closest
exchange.
> >
> > Before people say bulls**t, Telecom dont do this, I believe that they
do.
> I
> > have been on the phone to numerous Telecom people whilst they bring out
> > there maps of the area and do a trace back to the exchange.
>
> NORMALLY the wiring would follow streets, yeah, but when you include the
> comms cabinets it can be not so clear cut.
>
> Say Joe Bloggs lives 500m away from a cabinet (due west) and 2km from the
> exchange (due east). His "distance to the exchange" is more than likely
> going to be 3km (500m to the cabinet, 2.5km back to the exchange). On top
> of that, is the circuit from the cabinet back to the exchange fibre
> (digital - thus attenuation wouldn't affect DSL signals (??)) or a pipe
full
> of copper pairs? How do you even know you connect to the cabinet and not
> straight to the exchange?
>
> Thus simply getting in your car, driving to the exchange and reading your
> tripmeter is only going to give you a very vague approximation. Joe
Bloggs
> could see it as 2km but in reality it might be 3km, or 500m!
>
> All said I don't hold a bachelor in electronic engineering and nor am I a
> professional linesman so I am very carefully avoiding making embarassing
> statements in a public forum :-)
>
> Steve
>
> --
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>

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