[Mobile-Portable] Cell phone reliability was Re: Want advice

[Jay Eimer]

Some cell sites have battery backup, others have generators, some have none
at all.

If they're on battery backup, it's 6 hours or less - meant to keep the
radios and computers up until the power comes back on after normal T-storms
and other outages, not for several days like 9/11 or a hurricane.

Some carriers may put in a generator, but then you're still limited to the
gas in tank, unless they pay someone to go out and fill it.

I'd expect all cell sites to go down within 12 hours (max) in the area of
any large scale power outage, regardless of what caused it.

Interestingly, if your land-line phone comes from out of the immediate area,
(where the switching center is not on the affected grid) your landline phone
may work while your power is out, but your answering machine, cell phone and
cordless phone won't.

Of course, I don't know about yours, but if my power is out for more than 2
or 3 days, my cell PHONE is out, too - because its battery dies.  I guess I
could get a car charger, but I haven't.

Jay

-----Original Message-----
From: mobile-portable-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:mobile-portable-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of David
Weilacher
Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2004 09:40
To: Mobile-Portable Reflector
Subject: [Mobile-Portable] Cell phone reliability was Re: Want advice


Of interest.  When our community loses power, my cell phone quits working.

Is this normal across all cell companies or peculiar to my provider?



-----Original Message-----
From: "William R. Ware, Jr." <williamrware at cognifast.com>
Sent: Jul 27, 2004 12:30 PM
To: Mobile-Portable Reflector <mobile-portable at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [Mobile-Portable] Want advice

On occasions like last fall's hurricane in Virginia, or other disasters,
cell phone systems either get overloaded or go down.

Bill/KE3AD
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Best" <wu7g at bresnan.net>
To: "'Mobile-Portable Reflector'" <mobile-portable at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2004 9:56 PM
Subject: RE: [Mobile-Portable] Want advice


> Hi Jerry...
> With thousands of cell phone towers, I can't imagine transmitting
> out of band for any reason.  From my observation, everyone has one
> and they use them while driving.  Just my .02 cents worth.
>
> Jim WU7G
> CPD
>
>
>
>
> Interesting!
> The gentleman asked a simple question!
> As far as operating out of band (amateur frequencies) let your conscious
>
> be your guide...you all should know the rules!
>
> How about answering the original question and helping a "possible"
> future ham out?
>
> WB7S
> Jerry
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ----
> Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC, mobile-portable-owner at mailman.qth.net
>

----
Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC, mobile-portable-owner at mailman.qth.net


Dave Weilacher
.US Coast Guard licensed captain
.    #889968
.ASA instructor evaluator and celestial
.    navigation instructor #990800
.IBM AS400 RPG contract programmer
----
Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC, mobile-portable-owner at mailman.qth.net