Controller complains about telephone company line failure.

Attributes
ACN	226536
Time
Date	199211
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rst
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lgw
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 3
ASRS Report	226536
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

On nov/xx/92 we experienced a failure of our gp XX03 line. We use this line to communicate with lse ATCT, ZMP, and pnm AFSS. The communication equipment at rst ATCT is no longer reliable. The system fails repeatedly. We've reached the point where we see the telephone company technician more often than some of our own af technicians. The communication equipment at rst is vintage equipment, possibly from the days of the caa. There is no one in the rochester area with the know-how to keep our communication system going. On nov 22, while trying to repair the gp XX03 line, telephone company inadvertently disconnected our 4 gp 0066 line. This is our handoff line to ZMP sectors 5, 6, 7, 8, 36. As of nov/xy, the line is still out of order. Solution: we need a new communication system. In the interim, we need to find someone familiar with our vintage equipment. The controllers are doing a commendable job dealing with the situation. Still, our ability to provide a safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of traffic is impaired. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that a ucr was filed after ASRS report was submitted. As a result, a telephone company technician from another area spent about 12 hours working on the telephone line. Since that time, they have not had any more problems. Work was completed about 40 days ago.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR COMPLAINS ABOUT TELCO LINE FAILURE.

Narrative: ON NOV/XX/92 WE EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF OUR GP XX03 LINE. WE USE THIS LINE TO COMMUNICATE WITH LSE ATCT, ZMP, AND PNM AFSS. THE COM EQUIP AT RST ATCT IS NO LONGER RELIABLE. THE SYS FAILS REPEATEDLY. WE'VE REACHED THE POINT WHERE WE SEE THE TELCO TECHNICIAN MORE OFTEN THAN SOME OF OUR OWN AF TECHNICIANS. THE COM EQUIP AT RST IS VINTAGE EQUIP, POSSIBLY FROM THE DAYS OF THE CAA. THERE IS NO ONE IN THE ROCHESTER AREA WITH THE KNOW-HOW TO KEEP OUR COM SYS GOING. ON NOV 22, WHILE TRYING TO REPAIR THE GP XX03 LINE, TELCO INADVERTENTLY DISCONNECTED OUR 4 GP 0066 LINE. THIS IS OUR HDOF LINE TO ZMP SECTORS 5, 6, 7, 8, 36. AS OF NOV/XY, THE LINE IS STILL OUT OF ORDER. SOLUTION: WE NEED A NEW COM SYS. IN THE INTERIM, WE NEED TO FIND SOMEONE FAMILIAR WITH OUR VINTAGE EQUIP. THE CTLRS ARE DOING A COMMENDABLE JOB DEALING WITH THE SITUATION. STILL, OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE A SAFE, ORDERLY, AND EXPEDITIOUS FLOW OF TFC IS IMPAIRED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT A UCR WAS FILED AFTER ASRS RPT WAS SUBMITTED. AS A RESULT, A TELCO TECHNICIAN FROM ANOTHER AREA SPENT ABOUT 12 HRS WORKING ON THE TELEPHONE LINE. SINCE THAT TIME, THEY HAVE NOT HAD ANY MORE PROBLEMS. WORK WAS COMPLETED ABOUT 40 DAYS AGO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.