When cell phones fail

Mike Bolgiano, Grapevine, TX — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 23:41:01 GMT

This is nothing new. Happens after every LSU game in Tiger Stadium, located in Baton Rouge, LA. 100,000 fans get out and call people for whatever. Getting a call to go through is less likely than winning the lotto.

When cell phones fail

Charlie, Laguna Beach, CA — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 23:55:43 GMT

Nonsense. The cell phone providers tell you not to rely on them in emergencies.They say it is the land line providers who have the responsibility for reliable service.
Cell phones and now airlines are not for providing reliable service. They are for making money for investors, rather than paying for redundant capacity.

When cell phones fail

J. Dickinson, Sacramento, CA — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 23:59:12 GMT

text messaging costs!!!

Put the phone away and go back to work!!!!!

When cell phones fail

Eric Vollnogel, Kansas City, Missouri — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 00:06:52 GMT

Text messaging uses far, far fewer resources than making a phone call and is always the best way to communicate to friends/family in an emergency. Even so, I believe on some cellular netowrks, dialing 911 is somewhat different than dialing a different number as these calls are given priority and will go through before other cellular calls. In some localities, i.e. Washington D.C., critical cellular subscribers (on GSM carriers) are identified and are given a higher priority when making a cellular phone call.

When cell phones fail

Alan Boyle — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 00:09:48 GMT

Here are a couple of extra odds and ends I just couldn't get in the main item:

- GeekDad's John Baichtal says this week's bridge collapse serves as a reminder of the importance of ham-radio backup - and urges geek dads, geek moms and geek kids to get themselves licensed and signed up for an emergency communications group:

http://blog.wired.com/geekdad/
2007/08/geek-dads-moms-.html

- Verizon's Karen Smith said two portable cell sites have been stationed near the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, in the vicinity of Highway 280 ... which is taking some of the load that had been handled by 35W. Verizon's sites are "colts" or "cows": The "colts" look like utility trucks with a radio in the back, and the "cows" are full-fledged cell towers on wheels, which look like a semitrailer-truck. There's a cow and a colt out by the fairgrounds.

- The Twin Cities have E911 Phase 2 service, which is a good thing.

http://www.raddcomm.com/E-911%20overview.htm

That makes it possible for authorities to locate victims based on cell-phone location.

The E911 issue came up when we were discussing the sad case of the Kim family:

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2006/12/05/17164.aspx

When cell phones fail

Judi Stull, Woodbine, Maryland — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 00:12:22 GMT

I agree! I was in Washington DC on 9/11 and it was nearly impossible to get a call out. I dialed probably 25 times to get a call out to my parents in Seattle, then another 20 or so times before I got through to my home to leave a message. Regular days are swamped when school lets out now, if it was an emergency I can't imagine what it would be like.

When cell phones fail

G.B. in St. Louis — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 00:15:52 GMT

Seems Mr. Demerjian is not familiar with the GETS (Govt. Emergency Telecomm Services, or something close to it)program, that provides priority service to emergency personnel on wireless networks in the event of a "911" or "Katrina" type event. I know that T-Mobile as a minimum offers this service, and has been in place for some time now. A bit of an arrogant, uninformed statement to be making so casually.

When cell phones fail

Alan Boyle — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 00:21:40 GMT

Interesting! Here's more info about Wireless Priority Service:

http://wps.ncs.gov/

When cell phones fail

Jerry, Palo Alto, cA — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 00:27:48 GMT

The problem is people are stupid and inconsiderate. When there is an emergency, let the people who are dealing with injured people call. Too many people try to call all their relatives and friends and it overloads the network, preventing important calls to go through. Just drive to a pay phone and use it.

When cell phones fail

Doug D., Chicago, IL — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 00:31:20 GMT

If it's true that "text messaging uses far fewer...network resources" then why the heck do they charge so freaking much for it?! In most countries overseas, text messaging and data usage is included in cellular phone packages. Just another example of corporate greed - cell phone providers telling us to NOT use the service we're paying for IN AN EMERGENCY and instead use a service that costs most people EXTRA MONEY! Figures...

Oh yeah, well then why do

When cell phones fail

D George — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 00:38:04 GMT

If text messages are so efficient and non capacity consuming - then why do the cell companies charge so much for them??

When cell phones fail

MB — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 00:47:59 GMT

How about NEXTEL, Direct Connect?? Problem solved!

When cell phones fail

Dani, Roseville, MN — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 00:48:23 GMT

In a time of emergency, a text message is well worth the dime. I live in MSP area, and it's true: my out-of-state friends & family couldn't *call* me by phone to see if I was ok last night. But I'm not ticked - they all succeeded at reaching me via text message. It served a great purpose yesterday. So everyone, just relax.

When cell phones fail

Renae Sanders, Lakeville MN — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 00:49:33 GMT

What did people do before cell phones?? Is our society in such need of phone service. Maybe we need phone chips put into our heads so we can communicate via telepathy

When cell phones fail

Joo Smo, Seattle WA — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 01:18:52 GMT

This is for Charlie, Laguna Beach, CA. Not all cell companies have investors. [...]

When cell phones fail

Anonymous, Southeast — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 01:42:44 GMT

My opinion is that everyone just needs to be patient when calls can not be made during an emergency, in this case when using cellular phones. I for one am a T-mobile member of four years and when Hurricane Wilma hit our area, I was only able to get voice mail, but no calls in or out. While it is an incovenience to not be able to make calls, I was at least receiving voice mail messages from work. While the point of reaching out is well made, it is important to remember that if a loved one is able to contact you and they are in a natural disaster area, you will at least know that they are ok when they call you, even if they leave a voice mail. Remember that landline phones can be damaged during a hurricane or earthquake and that the mobile providers do for the most part the best they can. In these cases, redundancy and 99.999% uptime is not always possible.

When cell phones fail

M, Columbus, OH — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 01:48:22 GMT

Thanks for the WPS info. I have a GETS account but didn't realize WPS was separate. Good to know I need to upgrade the account.

When cell phones fail

Nick T., Laguna, Philippines — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 01:56:17 GMT

Problem with Americans, especially older ones, they are very used in calling other people coz it's cheap. In a third world country such as ours, calling someone is very expensive as compared to texting. It is also faster. FYI, our country is considered the #1 texting nation in the whole world. Our daily texts sent/received is about that of the whole Europe's texting rate for a month. We only have 3 mobile operators in the country. Go figure. 8-)

When cell phones fail

Amy, York, PA — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 02:26:04 GMT

Text messages go through faster?? Ever try sending one on New Year's Eve at midnight? I did this past New Year's Eve, at midnight, and the recipients "received" it at 5 AM! 5 hours later! I got yelled at for waking them up at 5 am. Um, so I guess that doesn't work.

When cell phones fail

Jimmy Trooth, Los Angeles, CA — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 02:29:50 GMT

More evidence that cell phones are the worst innovation in human history. Dangerous on the road, poor signal at the best of times and completely unreliable when you need them the most...anyone remember trying to make a cell call from Manhattan on September 11, 2001?

When cell phones fail

John Sullivan Washington DC — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 02:40:11 GMT

On 9/11 I could not get through to anywhere. As someone said early what did we do before cell phones? We worried and things were worse. The system needs upgrading and more competition to drive down prices

When cell phones fail

Captian Obvious — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 02:41:14 GMT

Banks and cell phone companies are the two institutions in this country that NEED to be regulated. They've all proven time and time again that they cannot manage themselves. Though the congestion on their networks was not totally their fault, I'm sure there are things they could do about it - they're just too greedy to spend money on it.

When cell phones fail

Michael L, Twin Cities — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 02:48:35 GMT

I normally traveled that span at about that time nightly... luckily I had a night class in Mnpls an hour earlier Weds... So I was on that bridge one hour before the collapse. Still kinda shaken up about it. When we were notified in the class by security, I immediately tried via cell phone to contact my family to let them know that I was safe. The first call to home went ok, but the call to my wife's cell wouldn't go through, so she had to wait 45 minutes until she got home to find out I was ok. This is not what we pay $40-50-60 or more for. An hour or two overload of double 'normal' capacity does not seem to be such an issue to ask of the companies.

When cell phones fail

Mark, Crestwood, IL — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 02:50:34 GMT

Amy, that is so funny - and I agree, text messaging cannot be the wireless companies' answer, like the electric company telling you to turn your AC off, on the hottest day of the year. We pay so much for wireless, and yet 9 of 10 users feel they are being ripped off!

When cell phones fail

mary, kailua kona, HI — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 02:54:40 GMT

"What did people do before cell phones??" Good question. Answer, they were patient. Yes, it is in inconvienient to not be able to call your loved ones and let them know IMMEDIATELY, that you are ok during a disaster. But it is more of a problem for those who have loved ones who are actually hurt and in need of assistance. I would recommend that if you are fine after a disaster say a prayer of for those who are not OK, then say a prayer for your loved ones that they may be ok, then say a prayer of thanks because you are OK. Then try your phone.

When cell phones fail

Travis G, Lake City, FL — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 03:31:42 GMT

The cell phone companies are not "doing the best they can." They are doing what is necessary to produce profit. The US cellular networks rank among the worst of all developed nations. There is no excuse.

When cell phones fail

Jim, Milwaukee — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 03:47:11 GMT

And my freinds wonder why I use 7000 txt with Tmobile vs. the 300 minutes that I have....calling sucks people....its time to move on ;)

When cell phones fail

Tax payer, Chicago — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 04:04:23 GMT

As i recalled on our phone bill we pay for emergency call every month. Then how come we cannot use the cell phone during emergency? Where is the money gone to?

When cell phones fail

Samuel, Spring Valley, NY — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 04:15:37 GMT

i was surprised to find that T- Mobile did not have service in and around Steward Airport Newburg, NY, T- Mobile should really get their act together.

When cell phones fail

JK, Mpls, MN — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 04:19:55 GMT

I also live in the Minneapolis area - in any tragedy, people panic... and yesterday, people panicked. The first thing people do in these events is reach for their phone to call someone (come on and say you haven't done it!!!). It's human nature to want to talk about the event, make sure others are OK, etc. I do not think any of us initially realized how this would bog down the phone lines and temporarily cripple the city. Not only did cell phones not work, ATMs were down, as were credit card machines at local stores. The inability to use the phones lines stopped the city. New technology has brought on new problems and created entirely new ways of dealing in the event of a tragedy. Last night, we had no choice but to sit, watch, and redial...

When cell phones fail

Brian Gibson, Jacksonville, FL — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 04:20:21 GMT

The congestion experienced at the bridge was not just because of the call volume but also because of the location density of the calls. In the wireline (home phone) network, the bottleneck is at the central office. In a cellular network the bottle neck is at each and every cell site tower location. So if you have too many calls on a single cell site, not only will you quickly use up all the equipment channel capacity, but the quality of each of those calls that do make it through will be degraded because of a lack of Radio resources (available power from the tower toward the phones) between the tower and the phones.

High demand in a small area is what causes the problems, i.e. the LSU game example in a previous post.

That is why you hear about the portable towers being brought in to serve an area, it is to split up the area into multiple cell sites that can each handle the same amount of calls. It's a simplified outline I'm giving but the basics are correct.

That is why Verizon is asking you to use text messaging, there is nothing they can do, except move in temp towers and that takes time.

This example is of course different than a large area wide outage due to large scale power failures of the type in New Orleans.

When cell phones fail

GLH — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 04:47:46 GMT

Hmm, I pay for my cell service, I will use it when I want, how I want, and as long as i want. If they cannot provide the service I PAY FOR, THEN GIVE ME SOME OF MY MONTHLY FEE'S BACK, Or GET OUT OF THE BUSINESS IF YOU CANNOT HANDLE THE INCREASED USAGES.duh.

When cell phones fail

Ham Radio Operator — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 05:02:54 GMT

During times of catastrophic disaster, we will not be able to rely on commercial telecommunications services. I recommend that Homeland Security team up with the FCC to involve the amateur radio community and promote ham radio (and associated technologies) as a vital part of the countries critical infrastructure.

When cell phones fail

Jack Jamison — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 05:14:01 GMT

The business model is not designed for emergency needs, because the carriers allocate resources with an algorithm that supports "normal traffic" developed from statistical information over time. The goal is to match infrastructure to "over time" data. Peak requirements are not considered and the 3 to 1 ratio used in material engineering is abandoned for a "match the infrastructure to the load" model. Meaning cell networks are still considered a luxury, not a public utility. Which is a profit over service model. Live with it or legislate otherwise, cause cell carriers will never "over-engineer" networks voluntarily.

When cell phones fail

John Doe, Seattle, Washington — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 05:43:37 GMT

I was told text messaging protocols have been designed to have priority over voice calls, with more people texting, the limited bandwidth for voice traffic gets hammered even more. Providers are in love with text messages due to the high profit margins they provide over voice calls due to the lower cost of bandwidth consumed. Researchers have developed peer-to-peer mesh digital technologies that actually increase in their ability to scale with increased numbers of people. It doesn't seem to have found a business model yet.

When cell phones fail

Layer 8, NY — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 05:50:13 GMT

If you "expect" to pick up a cell phone and have no issues making calls during emergencies like Minneapolis and 9/11, you should also EXPECT to pay double or triple your current monthly charges.

Brian from FL, great explanation, unfortunately many people have no clue.

When cell phones fail

Mark, Chicago, IL — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 06:36:05 GMT

Come on guys! The 911/Emergency fees that you pay on your monthly bills are to pay for technology to use the GPS locators in all of your phones (and at the 911 call centers) as well as to provide "temporary cell sites" in the case of emergencies. All of these things cost a LOT of money for these companies. Additionally, you pay your monthly fees which gives you access to regular normal use of the phone and it's good to have in case YOU have an emergency. But no one ever said anything about if there is a wide-spread emergency. If the cellular call volume in a certain area averages a certain number, you can't expect cell phone companies to dish out the dough to have enough cell-capacity to support multiple times that amount. It just isn't practical. The fact that their towers already can support more than double the "actual capacity" is impressive. Think of your own homes. Do you have 5 fire extinguishers each room of your house "just in case"? NO. It isn't practical. Instead, you have a few in your home, to be safe, and as a little backup. I think we as a society are becoming too safe and we forget that real tragedies and emergencies still actually happen. I also think we forget that the concept behind labeling an event as a crisis, is that there's no way to prepare for it. So How can you expect these cellular companies to "prepare" for such a "crisis"?? It's time to be realistic. Also, if you are too cheap/or concerned about the 10-cents that it costs to send a txt msg (if you don't already have it included in your plan), I'm sure in the event of such a crisis, a simple call to the customer service line will result in a 10-cent credit to your next month's bill... Grow up.

When cell phones fail

TJ Johnston, RI — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 07:24:26 GMT

GO TEXT MESSAGES!!!

When cell phones fail

MKehoe — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 10:49:46 GMT

Drive to a pay phone and use iT!? How is one to do that if YOUR CAR JUST FELL INTO A RIVER?! If cell phone co. can't provide the services paid for, they need to find another business.

When cell phones fail

Fri, 03 Aug 2007 11:57:17 GMT

I already knew cell phone networks couldn't handle an emergency. I live in MI and I survived the Great Blackout of 2003. The only reliable communications device at that time was my hardwired (read not digital) phone line. It has it's own power source and I got through every time. My AT&T cell phone was useless as were all my digital phones and one of the reasons that I have balked at going VOIP is the lack of a guarantee that the cable network is up and running during a power failure. When I questioned my cable company about reliability in a blackout, the answer was laughable. They said that my cell phone was an alternative. HAH!!!

When cell phones fail

Allen Pitts, New Britain, CT — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 12:22:28 GMT

The nice part is the ham radio people. They are all volunteers, unpaid, using their own equipment, and do their emergency work as a service for others. They were there ready to help out - again. This time they were not needed, but every year we hear of them aiding emergency services when other systems overloaded somewhere.

When cell phones fail

Josef Chlebowski — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 12:34:12 GMT

Captain Obvious,

1. You spelled your name wrong.
2. Banks are the most highly-regulated industry in the US. I work for the 2nd largest bank in the US, and quite frankly, it's impossible to imagine one more regulation for banking. With that said, there are some shaky business practices with equally shaky bankers. However, I can't imagine how regulation will help.

When cell phones fail

Bob Luster, Castle Rock, Colorado — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 12:40:15 GMT

Talk with the Hospital's that used Pagers with Group numbers . You can take a $10 pager and page Hundreds of pagers with one page.

Look into the enexpensive and reliable way to page many people at one time. Yes PAGERS!!!

When cell phones fail

HBH — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 13:27:38 GMT

More and more people do not HAVE land line phones (AT&T sux!), so we rely solely on these little electronic marvels.

BTW - WTF is a PAYPHONE??? Haven't seen one of those in YEARS around here!

Cellular in the U.S. sucks...gads...for the systems the Japanese have...I'd be willing to pay big bucks for!

When cell phones fail

John Doe, Seattle, Wash — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 13:29:04 GMT

If texting is so much more efficient for the cell companies why don't they encourage it by making it free.

When cell phones fail

duh — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 13:31:47 GMT

text messages are not guaranteed to get there

my friends only get about half of the ones I send, but I get charged anyway

easier and quicker to phone

When cell phones fail

Justin L Croonenberghs, Fayetteville, North Carolina — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 13:34:47 GMT

People...calm down! Cell phones are not landline phones! You cannot simply add more switching capacity. The big bottleneck is airspace, in that a given tower with a given set of channels can only handle so many calls at a time. There is simply not enough room in the frequency spectrum to make it bigger. The only solution: more cell towers. The problem is we Americans want all this wonderful infrastructure, but we also don't want a giant cell tower in our back yard. Getting the rights of way for these things is a real pain. Factor in the vast, huge size of the United States, relatively low population density, and the nature of the FCC regulations relating to this topic, and you have a hostile environment to excess capacity.

Calm down people. The whole "I paid for it!" argument is incredibly selfish in emergencies. Hang up and wait!

When cell phones fail

Dan — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 14:20:29 GMT

I had T-Mobile then I ported my cell number to Verizon Wireless because I wanted better customer service and a better coverage area. It does indeed cost more but I feel it is well worth it. I feel that there is much improvement that is needed in wireless cell communication. First of all, how come cell phones seem to have so many issues. I mean in some ways it seems more difficult to manage your cell phone then your computer. I have had issues with my tri-mode cell phone which I use since some places still use analog. I have found it odd in the past when seeing my cell phone switch to analog from digital in the middle of a city when talking to 911. In addition, cell phones need to be taken to the store periodically to allow for software upgrades. Another strange thing was recently, my software in my cell phone went bad. I tried calling someone who had a land-line from my cellphone and they told me later it sounded like a fax signal. I had to re-flash the software in my cell phone even though I had already gotten the newest software for the cell phone recently. The LG phone is now working well but I know that it is not only a phone issues since the problems had happened on two different LG phones.

When cell phones fail

Chris, Ottawa Lake, MI — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 14:28:17 GMT

I guess I feel the need to address a few comments.

Not all phones/contracts allow texting. Shocking, I know.

Calling from cell to a land line would negate the possibility of texting. (do you have have the ability to receive text messages on your home phone?)

Yes, cell phone companies are in it to make a profit. They are businesses, not social services. Setting up an infrastructure to accommodate the worst case scenario would be cost prohibitive. That's like saying every road in America should be 10 lanes wide for the eventuality of 9 lanes being obstructed. (and even then, traffic would be slowed down as you try to cram all of the traffic into the one remaining lane)

In a catastrophe, EVERYONE has to deal with inconveniences. If you are unhappy with the inconvienience of having to try multiple times to get through in times of high cell traffic, cancel your service. You will no longer have the convenience of your cell phone in your day to day dealings, nor would you be able to make that call that finally does connect in a crisis, but at least you're "sticking it" to the cell phone company.

Touching base with loved ones in a luxury unknown before the abundance of cell phones. Sometimes, in an emergency, you must temporarily forgo luxuries. (Thank you for pulling me from that flaming wreckage, can I see a wine list?)

And, finally, I must agree with several posters: If texting uses so much less of a cell company's resources, why does it cost extra (at all) to consumers?

I guess the short answer is, "because people pay it." But if I'm helping the cell company by using texting, I don't think I should be penalized.

When cell phones fail

Jon Sherry, Cincinnati, OH — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 14:59:52 GMT

The messages above prove once again that, ever since the invention of the microwave, everyone seems to insist on instantaneous gratification. Is it that hard to wait an hour, or spend a dime on a text, just to tell your family you're ok? Here's an idea, send a text to your closest loved one telling them you're ok and ask THEM to pass the word on to everyone else. Every system has a capacity limit, and no cell carrier is going to put in so much capacity that even a disaster wouldn't overrun it. That's ridiculous.

When cell phones fail

Barbara B., Norwalk, CT — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 15:03:47 GMT

the best way to get around it is to have family member or friend that is several states away as a contact point. It is easier to get a long distance number out that local since the lines are different. This is what we did during 9-11.

When cell phones fail

DS Fayetteville, AR — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 15:03:59 GMT

Quit being cheap and purchase a text package!!! No one wants to talk to you anyway. Crazy how many of you are complaining about text messaging, yet you are reading this message and typing text to get your comments in this blog.... hmmm!

When cell phones fail

Ludd Ite — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 15:14:43 GMT

boo hoo you big babies... at least text messaging gets you to SHUT UP! It's a shame that emergency services (people who have an actual reason to be constantly in communication) have to have their own frequency just to avoid the useless gabblers. I read somewhere that they had to invent a new number - 912 - to try and wean the useless gabblers off calling 911 every time they saw a fender bender on the freeway!

When cell phones fail

Marky, SLC UT — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 15:16:37 GMT

Priority should be given to 911 calls for times when there is congestion. Emergency texting is silly - Texting is low priority, like email. When you have an emergency, you need help now, not 3-5 hours later. AT&T (the inventor of Cell Service) and Verizon, you can do better than that! Address the problem, please dont spin the issue!

When cell phones fail

TheFallibleFiend, LORTON, VA — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 15:30:48 GMT

Texting costs extra AND the sleazy phone company execs provide phones that (I am convinced) are designed to make accidental network connection inevitable. My first job out of college was working for a long distance carrier. It was a good introduction to greed and stupidity.

Of course, you can talk to them and have them take the bogus charges off, but they're really hoping 1) most people won't notice and 2) if they do notice, they'll eventually get tired of asking to have charges in the range of a dollar or less removed from their bill. We have disabled texting and all network services from our service.

This is a shame. As these idiots are using public airwaves to do this, there is some grounds for the government stepping in and forcing them to fix the sleazy problems, because they will never (EVER) fix it on their own. Most people have no idea exactly how lucrative some of these businesses - and how resilient they are to incompetence. The money they make is staggering.

When cell phones fail

Guy S. Newell — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 15:34:31 GMT

What a bunch of spoiled brats. Let the emergency responders use the cell phone towers. YOu can call your family and friends to brag about how close you are to the action later. Much later. I bet you don't pull over for emergency vehicles because "my taxes paif for this road and I'll use it whenever I want." That's why we dont' let six-year-olds drive. Too bad there's no maturity requirement for owning a cell phone.

When cell phones fail

W, NYC, NY — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 15:36:28 GMT

The carriers are full of crap. The US carriers provide the worse service at the most expensive prices. How is it that 3rd world countires that have NO landlines and rely soley on cell phones don't have the same problems? It's because here in the good ole USA the cell carries want to squeeze every drop of money from the consumers before they give us what was readily available 5yrs ago.

When cell phones fail

Kurt Nylund, Seattle, WA — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:00:33 GMT

The reality is that telling people you are not hurt is not an emergency. People tend to forget that just because you where involved in an incident does not mean the entire world needs to know about it in real time.

When cell phones fail

Diane, Phoenix, AZ — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:05:08 GMT

I am amazed at the spoiled "children" who have posted here. Just because we live in a society that has given us a "fast food" mentality, and a society where we have far more than most of us appreciate, it shouldn't mean that an occasional inconvenience gives any of us the right to whine about what the cell phone companies or anyone else are doing FOR us. Look at the big picture people. In an emergency, use discretion--of course you should call a loved one who may be worried about your safety, and let them call others. Make room for others to use the services that you clearly are taking for granted.

When cell phones fail

Corey Stall, New Lebanon (near Albany), New York — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:09:04 GMT

I wouldn't necessarily worry about the "exorbitant" costs of emergency text messaging. It's only usually about 10 cents to send a message and 4 cents to receive. Small price to pay, really.

As a volunteer firefighter, our 911 dispatch center has always sent pages via a radio unit on our belts. But now to supplement that, dispatchers are also sending call information via text message to first responders. The message is received just seconds after the radio-pager alarm is sounded. Text messaging is a very useful service, and helps our first responders save lives.

When cell phones fail

Concerned in Ohio — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:20:35 GMT

GETS Eligibility Criteria

There are five broad categories that serve as guidelines for determining who may qualify as a potential GETS user. These users may be in federal, state, local, or tribal government, critical infrastructure sectors in industry, or non-profit organizations that perform critical National Security and Emergency Preparedness (NS/EP) functions. Typical GETS users are responsible for the command and control functions critical to management of and response to national security and emergency situations, particularly during the first 24 to 72 hours following an event.

When cell phones fail

MARIO, DENVER CO — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:21:18 GMT

Nextel is a great ideal,but it cost way too much to use...you almost have to be rich!!!

When cell phones fail

EMike, Danville, OH — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:26:37 GMT

Ham radio has the slogan "When All Else Fails... Amateur Radio" Basically it involves moving on down the "Tech Chain" until something works. I doubt there would be a licensed ham let alone an amateur radio anywhere near a 911 dispatch center. I guess someone could get a message to someone with a land line who could relay information. The value of Ham radio isn't as the emergency is happening but in having a fail safe back-up plan for when communication goes completely out. Amateur radio's real contribution is being ready and able.

When cell phones fail

unknown, nowhere, USA — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:32:40 GMT

Everyone just has to be angry about something, right? Why don't we be thankful instead? to hard on your system?

Check your stats before spreading hate. Some mobile telephone companies spend billions to upgrade and expand their systems each year, EACH YEAR! Some of the companies do everything they can to make sure their customers can in fact use their service whenever and wherever they want.

You want regulation? why? so we have to wait a month to get a cell phone like we have to do to get cable or a landline phone? insanity. Cable services and landline phone services are regulated, no competition, they know it and they take advantage of it. In any given area there are at least 4 mobile telephone companies that compete with eachother. far better if you ask me.

When cell phones fail

Hal, Indianapolis — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:34:16 GMT

Love the comment that said, go to a payphone... Can't think when the last time I saw a pay phone was, it would be a couple of years ago. The last time I went looking for one, 6 months ago, and needless to say, could not find one in the suburb I was in at the time.

When cell phones fail

John Doe, Seattle, Wash — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:35:42 GMT

Absolutely unreal. If texting uses such little resources then these companies shouldn't gouge their customers for texting. Instead, make it a free feature/incentive to use less of the companies resources.

When cell phones fail

Nathan, Hampton VA — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:39:38 GMT

The currently in place E911 initiative allows for 911 calls to go through at priority. If the azimuth (sub division of a cell) you are on is at max capacity and you are talking on the phone you will likely be dropped if someone else places a 911 call on that same azimuth. However, if everyone on the cell, and neighboring cells is calling 911 (likely in a 9/11 type event) you will not get through. That's the system. Otherwise, non-emergency calls are always first come first serve. Texting is definetly the best way to go to get any message out fast and reliably in 9/11 and MN like events.

When cell phones fail

KW, Austin Tx — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:45:50 GMT

I worked in the wireless industry for many years. You would not believe what it costs to put up cell sites where everyone wants/needs them. 5 yrs ago a freestanding site was +1 million-the city, state and buisness owners all have hands extended to get a piece of the pie from wireless companies.

That said...we live in a capitalistic society and if a business CAN make money for something they WILL. If you don't like it...demand a change from the company! Consumers pressure buisnesses to make changes...NOT THE GOVERNMENT! Everytime the government makes a change YOUR BILLS GO UP! Take a look at the "Fees & Other Charges" section. In some cities that's usually 40% of a consumers' bill. That's our government in action. If you are "old enough"...remember when you paid ROAMING charges out the wazoo? $1.69 a minute and up? Then AT&T (the old AT&T that is!) came out with the Digital One Rate and no more roaming charges. It revolutionized the industry. (There were a lot of system upgrades and roaming agreements that had to happen...but it was the equivilent of Y2K upgrade for the wireless industry)

Now...if I understand there are those who feel like cell svc should be available whenever and where ever...no matter the emergency or special sitation. We would need to blanket the country with double the current coverage "just in case" a disaster happens. That's not feasible from a financial standpoint. You think your bills are high now?!?

And the 911 fee on the bill? That's to help cities/counties pay for the exisiting 911 system and the upgrades currently going on nationwide. That doesn't mean, just because you pay that fee you personally will be able to make a phone call no matter the situation.

Oh...and one more thing. I worked during the times of major national disasters including 911 and Katrina. ALL the companies were very considerate of the needs of the public and WIPED OUT many of the charges incurred on the days of these disasters. I won't be suprised to see them remove them from all the bills in the Twin City areas and then for others on a case by case basis.

So please...everyone...just dial it down a notch and be reasonable. And if your not happy with your service or rates...write to your providers and tell them so!!

When cell phones fail

Phil, Melbourne, FL — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:49:45 GMT

Whatever happened to email, people? If you were in the city, and ok, wouldnt you have been around a pc? Or how about go home and wait for your family to call YOU? I love how this country gets all upset because we are greedy. Yes, fine print is awful and deceiving, but i bet somewhere in your cellular contract, it states this type of thing could happen. How many of you actually read that 6 page document when you buy a phone? Probably none. Quit complaining about phone lines and think about those who have more important things to deal with.

When cell phones fail

John Doe, Seattle, Wash — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:53:32 GMT

'A computer is only as fast as its slowest component', or 'A chain is only as strong as its weakest link' apply here...

A network is set up to handle traffic plus X% load during peak times, allowing for unexpected but not sudden growth. This applies to telecommunications, computing, or any other network in general. When there is an emergency, the 'sudden growth' becomes an issue, and due to bandwidth and cost constraints, it is unrealistic to expect providers to set up larger-than-normal network capacity to allow for this.

Emergency crews using their own network is a very good thing, and it circumvents this issue. 'Normal users' need to learn more about the capabilities of such technology and adapt as the situation warrants. Saying 'we pay X dollars, why doesn't it work in emergencies?' is like asking why there's traffic between 5p-7p in the evening. They cannot widen roads to 16 lanes for 1-2 hours congestion, sorry.

While I agree it's appropriate to get upset at incompetence or lack of planning with 'normal' growth (who remembers AOL's issue when they opened the unlimited-time plans years ago?) such frustration during emergencies is baseless and points more to user ignorance than provider incompetence.

'OMG! Bridge collapse! See news. Am ok, will call later.' - This message contains enough information to tell the users what happened, where to get more information on said event, and they you are unhurt. It's also much easier for said networks to handle.

When cell phones fail

Roy Cohen, Houston, TX — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 17:35:08 GMT

Folks, fact of the matter is, the electronic limitations of the concept of cellular radio are going to limit the number of concurrent cellular uses in a specific geographic cell site. Before cellular service, there were very, very few mobile "trunk" radio channels available in any given city, and they were prohibitively expensive. Here's how cellular works:

Very low power signals are transmitted and received at a cellular tower. Perhaps a few hundred phones can work concurrently off that tower. That tower and adjacent facility is hooked by landline or microwave to the cellular company's local switching facility that interfaces with the public switched telephone network. When you move from one site's cell coverage to another, your call is "handed off" and the new cell site takes over--IF a channel is available. With multiple cell sites in a community, all operating at very low power, they don't interfere with each other and can reuse communications spectrum. Fact of the matter is, when gazillions of people in a compact geographical area all try to use their cell phones at the same time, most are going to get a network busy error. That's the bad news. And the cellular companies really can do little to fix that limitation. However, it is far better than only having 100 or so trunk channels for an entire major metropolitan area, like pre-1984.

There's only so much spectrum space available, although surrender of analog tv channels coming up shortly, as well as fabulous communications technology research, will hopefully alleviate some of the congestion.

Be glad somebody invented cellular and somebody invented microprocessor chips. You'd be tethered to a land-line otherwise.

When cell phones fail

unamuzed in Dallas — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 18:01:21 GMT

If text messaging uses far less resources than the cell phone, then why do they CHARGE for text messaging? We already pay for the service of calling. Only in the case of the Twin City dissaster, they suggest paying them MORE money during an emergancy?

What kind of idiots are running (err, ruining) our society with their marketing genius?

When cell phones fail

mike nashua nh — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 18:02:13 GMT

wireless industry is out of control from crappy to no service and termination fees it needs to be regulated just like land lines

When cell phones fail

Fri, 03 Aug 2007 18:16:56 GMT

If texting is going to be a really succesful alternative to calling, the phone's buttons have to be easier to use. How many people's thumbs (or any other fingers) are too big to press the itty-bitty keys. (Not everybody has a Blackberry.) I think Morse Code would be easier sometimes. Also, the cell companies have made it more difficult to send a text message from a computer. Cingular says there is no longer a way to do it, although there is. You just have to find the workaround by other methods. For some reason, they don't want people to use the pc method (no charge to send?). So, let's say you thought your kid might be at the site of an accident and your spouse went to try to find him. Little Bobby comes strolling in because his bus left the park early. You want to let your spouse know that they can come home, but you can't get a cell call through. Which is faster - going to your pc and typing "Bobby is home" or texting using 30 presses to the phone keypad while your hands are shaking and you can't turn loose of Bobby because you're so glad he's safe? I understand for the need to make money, but I also think cell companies need to stop concentrating on selling games to the kids and put more thought into how to actually help people in a time of need.

When cell phones fail

Ash Spencer, Swindon, UK — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 18:20:18 GMT

Just to say, i have been reading this thread and it is a very good point that some people have raised, why do US service providers charge for texts? I get over 3000 a month in my package (around 70USD) and it seems unreasonable to charge as much as they do in the states... Also I asked a member of my family about the usage and it costs them a insignificant amount for them to carry a text. I think that this is a very serious issue, and to counter this, why do you think so many US colleges are using an automated text system in emergencies instead of a call based system?

When cell phones fail

M.Wallace, currently in Chas. SC — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 18:21:41 GMT

When Katrina hit, there was not cell service. In Kenner, LA - my husband had refused to leave along with another friend of ours who lived two doors away. We had the only two land lines that worked with about a 12-block area. There were people who had heard that there was a working phone walking up to a mile to beg a use of our phone, most of them even had phone cards to make the calls with. Relying on a cell phone, cable phone, or digital phone was shown to not work when that happened. If you are in a danger prone area, ALWAYS have access to a land line, if for no other reason than to be able to call out when something happens in your area.

When cell phones fail

DW, San Diego, Calif. — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 18:25:47 GMT

Until I experienced good cell service I didn't know how bad our service is in the USA. In much of Europe, especially in Sweden and in much of East Asia there are no dropped calls and always an acceptable or good connection. Even in rural areas in the basements of homes (small windows near the ceiling) the cell signal is at worst OK. In crowds of thousands of people (with a much higher proportion of them using cell phones than in a similar crowd here) no problem getting a call through and no dropped calls. Service doesn't cost more than here -- it costs less. The problem is so much lack of regulation (the service in some countries is not as regulated as it is here) as it is that we accept poor service because we don't know what good service is.

When cell phones fail

Ken, New Orleans, La. — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 18:29:18 GMT

Get a ham or cb radio. Note that the morse code requirement has been dropped for ham radio.
You can get a handheld ham radio for $100. Get one for every family member, and keep spare batteries.

When cell phones fail

Veronica Rodriguez, Wharton, Texas — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 18:41:07 GMT

After reading this article, it makes me wonder why cell phone companies could not correct this error (cell phone calls jammed) by expanding their base or whatever it is they do to make certain phone calls could get through.

"Smith said the call volume came to twice as much as Verizon's system was built to handle...AT&T's Siegel and T-Mobile spokesman Peter Dobrow told a similar story. Verizon and T-Mobile quickly brought in extra "cells on wheels" - cell-phone stations mounted on trucks - to handle the increased load. Siegel said AT&T started bringing in reinforcements as well, "but things had cleared up before they were moved into place."

So, in light of this, each cell phone company should be sensitive to such incidents and be quick and prompt to set up COWs (cell on wheels) the moment a crisis hits the news waves.

Cell phones jamming is nothing new. It happened in NYC during the attack on the WTC. One would think that the cell phone companies would have learned something by now. And just imagine the marketing spin a cell phone company could use if they were quick and prompt with helping out in emergencies.

When cell phones fail

lbudd, San Diego, Ca — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 18:45:42 GMT

Wow, I get the feeling after reading the above comments that we have a considerable amount of cell phone exectuives, owners, investors and employees writing in to save their ???

When cell phones fail

Gehenna — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 18:56:40 GMT

Capacity is an important thing, especially with the rise in number of active cell phones increasing on a daily basis. Increasing capacity costs time and money. One other aspect of increasing capacity is beauty. In some cities, people cry "foul" whenever the regional bell (because they own the network, anyway) wants to install more cell antennas. People call them "blight"; but it is that same blight that assures us that not only will our calls get through the first time, but that we have the necessary redundancy to function after a disaster and/or other outage-causing situation. If your city has reservations to the building of additional towers, you really need to help educate your leaders, as well as their constituents, as to exactly why additional towers are necessary and how they benefit us. Maybe one day towers won't look so "unsightly"; but until then they are a necessary form of ugliness we need to bring our cell network back up to the standard it should be at, especially considering the number of subscribers we have. There are other back-end issues that come after the cell tower; but we can address those in another topic.

When cell phones fail

Debbie, Austin, TX — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 19:28:52 GMT

I keep a land line, especially since I have DSL internet service, but really, if you have a land line, keep a plain old phone around for when you have a power outage. Where I live, calling from your home phone number automatically identifies your address if you are contacting the utility companies, and it has its own power. If I am away from home in a crisis, then there is fat chance of even finding a pay phone, so I would just keep trying to get through with a cell. I agree with previous posters that having 5 or 6 times the needed call capacity in place at all times "just in case" would be wasted effort and more expensive for customers on a monthly basis.

When cell phones fail

john doe, seattle, wash. — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 20:04:45 GMT

Sure, use texting so we can charge you for it. I'm old, I use a phone, I can't even read that little screen so don't tell me to try and move my old tired hands over a tiny phone pad. But, when it's free, I might try it. And Eric V., get back to work! :-)

When cell phones fail

idiot watcher , boston ma — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 20:30:12 GMT

My fellow americans....pathetic. Thanks for showing me that you are all a bunch of petty foolls who lost site of the important things and seem to have no grasp on what matters and when. I would love to see you all survive a weekend in the Rockies with no modern equipment and no food. Just a knife and stick and some warm clothing.

When cell phones fail

Rob in Michigan — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 20:56:32 GMT

Really Ham Radio is the way to go!!

When cell phones fail

Chris, Hamilton, MT — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 21:26:14 GMT

To those of you who wondered what we did before cell phones: The regular phone lines got jammed too (those folks at the old AT&T Long Lines Center in New York could only do so much when the whole country got on the phone). I used to work for the Late Ma Bell back in the old days and everytime there was a major disaster or even just big news (Regan getting shot, earthquakes, and the like) phone lines across the country would get overloaded and the result would be what we called a "circut busy" signal. No matter what system you put in place when something major happens people want to talk to each other and no company can resonably be expected to build a network that would handle a call load that only occurs once every few years.

When cell phones fail

Frank, Lees Summit, MO — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 21:26:55 GMT

I DO think trying to call 911 or a loved one in an emergency is a NECESSARY instant gratification. Who in the heck has time to text message someone, when you are in an accident or submerged under water. It's a lot easier to hit ONE SPEED DIAL button than several small keys.

When cell phones fail

Frank, Dallas, TX — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 21:29:40 GMT

When there's an emergency, I don't feel the need to tell the world that I'm ok. Anyone who cares can call or text me and find out - I will respond when able. Problem solved.

When cell phones fail

red pill junkie, Mexico city — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 23:29:23 GMT

Memo to american cell companies:
1) In case of emergency, make the text messaging FREE in the affected area. Advertise it to your costumers.
2) If people want no towers polluting their view, think about BLIMPS that can rebound the signal.

Memo to american dads:

1)Think TWICE about getting your 8-year-old a cell phone. Teach him/her IT IS NOT A TOY, and should be used responsibly. How many of the owners of a cell phone in America (or any country for that matter) REALLY need to make 20 calls a day?

Memo to americans in general:
1) Consider spending less in senseless cruzades overseas, and more in your about-to-collapse infrastructure! Manhattan and Dallas were close calls (I'm not talking about 9/11), now sadly there were human losses on this tragedy, and that's something you cannot replace or demand a refund. PREVENT IT next time.

"Floods are 'acts of God'. But flood losses are largely ACTS OF MAN." Gilbert F. White, Geographer, 1942

When cell phones fail

G.B in St. Louis — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 00:33:33 GMT

Once again, it is apparent that most posters on here are indeed spouting of which they know not. I actually sat here and read 90% of the posts on here (which should indicate perhaps I am demonstrating myself to be A LOSER!) and need to post yet AGAIN ... for EMERGENCY PERSONNEL, there is a PRIORITY service within wireless systems!

Another point to note for those of you thinking that merely by the wireless carriers adding more resources is going to solve the issue, is that in fact, the 911 Emergency service, or PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point), where your calls are routed are actually the entitiy to be held accountable for a large part of the problem. While you may falsely have the comfort of believing that were the wireless carriers to provide more resources, the problem wouldn't exist! Well folks, allow me to happily slam you with reality. In MOST instances, there are but 2 circuits going to any one PSAP! And MOST of those are NOT capable of E911 services! How is that you ask? Must be those evil wireless carriers yet again! The answer is rather simple. The PSAP's aren't equipped to handle that technology (which, by the way, was yet again falsely cited as being handled by GPS in your handsets) and are not in any great hurry to accomodate additional hardware to supply additional circuits.

Additionally, there is much rancor being slung about how the wireless companies are raping their customers for the costs of text messaging. Of how foreign networks are far superior to ours. Well, this may be true in a number of cases. But what I DIDN'T see mentioned was the point that it is largely due to those same networks being owned, operated, and funded by their respective governments (sic ... Socialist states). In other words, by whose money? That's right ... taxpayers! At close to 50% tax rates! Now THERE's a minutes package!

And finally, have any of you happened to look at the cosl of a minute's worth of air time for a voice call? As I recall from my first years in the business, minutes ranged as high as 45-60 cents a minute, non-peak, non-roaming. Do the math. Due to competition (that rarely exists elsewhere as it does here), that number has fallen to what amounts to fractions of a cent per minute. Let's see ... you want me to build you a network that cost on avg. ... say ... 1/4 million per site, give you free text messaging, charge you less than a penny a minute for voice calls, and still have a flawless, ever-at-your-beckon-call network.

It's folks like you that give folks like me the real hope that once we pass from this world, that there is indeed a reward in the next. (And no networks for you.)

When cell phones fail

Wade Whitlock, Aberdeen, MD — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 13:44:01 GMT

Fascinating! Ham operators are good, but they have to be in contact somehow. Civil Air Patrol radio operators are good, but hey have to be called out and anyway, how do you get to the site when the traffic is backed up for miles? Common people, where is it written that you must have instant communications at all times. The vast majority don't need it and clog up the bandwidth when it is needed.

How long ago was it that you stopped at a telephone booth to make a call enroute? Robert Heinlein scored a coup with the scene in "Space Cadet" when a character takes his phone from his belt pouch to answer a call from his mother. Another character comments that he packed his phone to avoid just that!

I had to call out Civil Air Patrol personnel one Mother's Day - by landline. The operators (remember that?) were breaking in to get me through! Can't do that with cell phones!!! Not all technological "advances" are advantageous.

When cell phones fail

Joe, Orlando, FL — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 16:04:30 GMT

Sure, Europe may have "better" cell coverage and plans. But YOU have more freedom. Take your pick, do you want cheaper consumer products, or more freedom? We live in a world where money matters, and that is why you are complaining. So why should you expect everything you buy to work flawlessly and never break? If this matters that much to you, then you have been spoiled rotten. Like a previous post, what will you do when you have to survive on knowledge and guts?

When cell phones fail

Jone — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 13:53:38 GMT

You could have at least linked to the original article on "The Inquirer". Sheesh! Be polite.
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=41390

W.r.t. cell phone network coverage, as all have indicated, there's just not enough space. I can't even place a call during half time at a Redskins game. ATT (aka Cingular) is the worst!

When cell phones fail

Alan Boyle — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 17:45:12 GMT

I was literally on the verge of writing a snarky note saying that I was linking to The Inquirer article, but then noticed that the link wasn't working. I've fixed that link now, and apologize for the glitch that resulted in the link being dropped. Thanks for calling it to my attention, Jone.

When cell phones fail

christchurch — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 06:04:41 GMT

txting is a good way of saying "Hi"or"What are you doing?" but do you realy think its good to get people to text the police for help?Its free for calling them is it not

When cell phones fail

Laura Basara, Pitman, NJ — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 19:29:19 GMT

Text messaging isn't always reliable either. This NYE none of my 5 text messages sent from 12-12:30pm were recd. (Although it was recorded as "sent") Phone calls were impossible too.

When cell phones fail

Dan Indianapolis, IN — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:16:52 GMT

I would love to see more adults learn to use text. I would love even more if the cell companies would provide the service at a lower price to consumers. If more people use something typically it gets cheaper to buy....right? Not in this case anyway. Maybe more competition for the service? To kids it has become a way of life, to adults it has become another growing bill that keeps going up with each contract. And don't think about stopping the text service from your line, then our Verizon sales store says you can't get it back.

When cell phones fail

Ron, Norwalk, Ca — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 15:13:34 GMT

Ha Ha Ha.....U think Ham or Cb works when they get too many talking at the same time? It goes down faster than the phone service.....Ther'es no magic bullet available......