Crossed lines

These telephone lines are getting a bit tangled. The poles themselves are usually about 9m high, imported from Eastern Europe and cost anything between £250 and £400. I have no idea how many there are across the UK - it must be tens of thousands, but I've noticed that some of the newer installations are using galvanised steel poles, which really don't look as nice. If you take a look at a wooden one, there should be some characters carved into it which tell when it was erected, it's height and it's strength.

Interestingly, landline telephone subscriptions in the UK, US, Canada, Germany, Australia and a few other countries have fallen markedly since 2000, whereas mobile phone ownership has rocketed, with the UK assuming something of a lead with an average of 1.3 phones per person (sometimes I think I have the 0.3 phone in my hand mind you!). The UK also seems to be one of the world's biggest internet users with over 85% of the population connected.

Will the next decade belong to VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol)? Most large companies have swapped to VOIP because of the huge savings possible. They tend to use dedicated lines, but if you've ever used VOIP at home before, you may feel that the day all consumers decide to swap may be some way off!