Edit: I’m learning that it’s possible that the tree knocked out the long distance wires, but left local calls still connected and functional. 911 would still work, but as others pointed out maybe he wasn’t trusting the cops at the moment.
Though he does call the cops on the wet bandits at the end? Maybe he valued his safety less than he loved being alone.
Edit2: though his parents are able to leave answering machine messages on all the neighbors’ machines, so there goes that theory
That’s not really how phone lines work, unless the central office had its own issues. When you have a POTS (plain old telephone service) line at your house, that two-wire pair runs directly back to the central office where it gets switched to local, long distance, etc. So if you have dial tone, you’re connected.
I think the argument is that the connection between the central office and whatever long-distance hub was severed. This isn’t depicted in the film, as they only show the tree falling nearby the house.
That’s not really how phone lines work, unless the central office had its own issues. When you have a POTS (plain old telephone service) line at your house, that two-wire pair runs directly back to the central office where it gets switched to local, long distance, etc. So if you have dial tone, you’re connected.
How did he order pizza then, hmmmmm?!
Edit: I’m learning that it’s possible that the tree knocked out the long distance wires, but left local calls still connected and functional. 911 would still work, but as others pointed out maybe he wasn’t trusting the cops at the moment.
Though he does call the cops on the wet bandits at the end? Maybe he valued his safety less than he loved being alone.
Edit2: though his parents are able to leave answering machine messages on all the neighbors’ machines, so there goes that theory
That’s not really how phone lines work, unless the central office had its own issues. When you have a POTS (plain old telephone service) line at your house, that two-wire pair runs directly back to the central office where it gets switched to local, long distance, etc. So if you have dial tone, you’re connected.
I think the argument is that the connection between the central office and whatever long-distance hub was severed. This isn’t depicted in the film, as they only show the tree falling nearby the house.
That’s not really how phone lines work, unless the central office had its own issues. When you have a POTS (plain old telephone service) line at your house, that two-wire pair runs directly back to the central office where it gets switched to local, long distance, etc. So if you have dial tone, you’re connected.