TeleNet

TeleNet is an internet alternative and hacker subculture which allows individuals to circumvent government surveillance on Earth. The network makes use of old, abandoned networks of conventional phone lines to connect to services such as BBS and Usenet via dial-up modems. It can be risky, as subverting the government surveillance apparatus in certain countries such as the Great Britain is punishable by law.

Using this network is a hobby, and often requires a significant investment in time to get familiar with. Users need to locate a working access point to the network, which are usually few and far between. Many have taken to urban exploration in abandoned telephone exchanges in order to find working ports or high-speed trunk lines. Over the years, hackers have come up with clever optimisations in order to squeeze faster and faster performance out of dial-up hardware, many making their own modifications to modems according to guides published on BBS boards.