Have you ever looked at telephone poles like this and thought about the data that flows across the wires? The modern world is so reliant on Internet communication that these simple wires have in many ways become essential services. I mean you'd probably die if, for a day, you were unable to access your Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, or Google+ accounts, wouldn't you? ;)

Telephone wires in most older suburbs and parts of the city still lie above ground, mounted on poles like this one. Several years ago Telkom, our (often regarded as infamous) land telecommunications provider, started using underground cables to in new development areas. I'm guessing that they're more durable and serviceable. Some day telephone poles like these, with their busy nest of wires, will be a distant part of history - much like candle-powered lamp posts.