DEAR ABBY: I am writing this letter to make the general public aware of a potential problem with their telephone service.
A great number of people put in all cordless phones when having phones installed. What they may not realize is that the "base" stations for those instruments are powered by electricity. If the power is interrupted, their phones will not work.
To avoid this problem, they need only install one phone that plugs directly into a jack and requires no electricity. Then if power is lost, that phone will still operate. I hope this helps people to avert a problem at a time when their phone may be needed the most. -- GEORGE F. ADAMS, BURLINGTON, N.J.
DEAR GEORGE: That's excellent advice. It's something I have done in my own home, and that precaution has paid for itself many times over. (Of course, cell phones can operate without electricity, at least for a while, but they eventually need to have their batteries recharged.)