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A landline telephone

Fixed telephone lines per 100 inhabitants 1997-2007

A landline telephone (also known as land line, land-line, main line, and fixed-line) refers to a phone which uses a solid medium telephone line such as a metal wire or fiber optic cable for transmission as distinguished from a mobile cellular line which uses radio waves for transmission.

In 2003, the CIA reported approximately 1.263 billion main telephone lines worldwide. China had more than any other country at 350 million and the United States was second with 268 million. The United Kingdom has 23.7 million residential fixed landlines.^[1] In 2008, the world had 1.27 billion fixed line subscribers.^[2]

Fixed phone[link]

A fixed phone line (a line that is not a mobile phone line) can be hard-wired or cordless.

Fixed wireless refers to the operation of wireless devices or systems in fixed locations such as homes. Fixed wireless devices usually derive their electrical power from the utility mains electricity, unlike mobile wireless or portable wireless which tend to be battery-powered. Although mobile and portable systems can be used in fixed locations, efficiency and bandwidth are compromised compared with fixed systems. Mobile or portable, battery-powered wireless systems can serve as emergency backups for fixed systems in case of a power blackout or natural disaster.

Dedicated lines[link]

The term landline is also used to describe a connection between two or more points that consists of a dedicated physical cable, as opposed to an always-available private link that is actually implemented as a circuit in a wired switched system (usually the public switched telephone network). So-called leased lines are invariably of the latter type; the implications of a landline in this context are security and survivability. For example, a military headquarters might be linked to front-line units "by landline" to ensure that communication remains possible even if the conventional telephone network is damaged or destroyed. Another example of this is in airports. All air traffic control towers have dedicated lines connected to the police, fire department, hospitals, army, etc. This is here in case of emergency and can be used at any time.

See also[link]

Look up landline in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Plain old telephone service (POTS)
• Local loop
• Last mile
• Telephone

References[link]

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Lucas Brunelle
Lucas Brunelle with helmet cameras
Born	(1971-08-03)August 3, 1971 Boston
Nationality	American
Occupation	Bicycle videographer

Lucas Brunelle is an internationally renowned videographer for bicycle events and a sometimes controversial bicycle advocate. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts.

Early Life and Bicycling[link]

Lucas Brunelle was raised on Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts where he attended Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. He began his bicycle career riding BMX bikes at 15 years old.

In 1988 he started road racing and won his first citizens race and went on to win many races as a junior. In 1990 he upgraded to category two.

In 1990 he was invited to the Olympic Training Center to train under Chris Carmichael where he narrowly avoided being thrown out for a fight with another cyclist.

After graduating in 1990 he attended the University of Massachusetts in Amherst MA where he joined Delta Chi Fraternity and continued to race. He graduated in 1996 summa cum laude with a BA in finance.

During his short and notorious racing career as an adult he raced for Mass Bay Road Club, UMASS Amherst, and Cannondale Jiffy Lube. He placed well and led his teammates to victory sometimes by riding on sidewalks, over grass, and through riders blocking. After participating in pro-am road races for several years, Brunelle was unsatisfied with the pace and intensity of legal bicycle racing.

Lucas began work as a bicycle messenger/courier in New York City^{[citation needed]} which is where he began his career in alleycat races.^[1]

Videography and Advocacy[link]

Although Brunelle has met with some victories in these partially legal back-alley races^{[citation needed]} he has received more renown for his work as a videographer for these events. His videos have been featured in the Bicycle Film Festival^[2][3] and are made available online. Many bicycle forums regularly link to his newest films.

As an advocate for bicycle culture, Brunelle has participated in several Critical Mass events in the Boston area. Some of the stunts he has been involved in include a bicycle drawn carriage for a wedding^[4] and parading a live band through the streets of downtown on a 1000 lb bicycle supported stage.^[5]

Controversy[link]

Lucas Brunelle riding a bike on the Great Wall of China

Brunelle is known for his daredevil riding style, which has caused some tension with other riders and with authorities. He has additionally made statements to the press that have caused backlash from the cycling community.

Safety[link]

The door zone in Boston is sometimes called the "Lucas Lane" because of Brunelle's habit of riding in this dangerous area.^[6] Another "Lucas Lane" is the surface of the frozen Charles River, which he sometimes rides using special tires.^[7]

Great Wall of China[link]

Brunelle traveled to China in May 2005 to attempt a ride along the Great Wall. He rode out for ten hours over bumpy paths and up nearly cliff-like ascents before returning across the sections normally open to tourists after sunset. At one point a group of locals helped him change a flat tire. Bicycles are strictly prohibited from sections of the Great Wall, including some of those that Brunelle traversed.^{[citation needed]}

Attitude[link]

Domestically, Brunelle has faced opposition from some bicycle advocacy groups who do not approve of his attitude towards car drivers. His videos frequently portray himself and other riders acting with no regard of traffic laws and the safety of themselves and others.^[1] In a recent interview, Brunelle was quoted as saying "Fuck bike advocacy."^[8]

References[link]