Just in case you were wondering where your dial tone went! This pole, and the end of the wire which wraps around it, sit aside a gravel road north of Bismarck. Maybe they’ve gone wireless up that way!

Actually, according to this press release from the ND Public Service Commission (PDF format) there are more wireless phones than land lines in North Dakota, and have been for a couple of years now. We ditched the land line (and all the ridiculous surcharges) in our house long ago, and so have many of our friends. Apparently many North Dakotans are doing the same. Especially the folks at the other end of the wire pictured above, I presume!