Sandy takes out 25 pct of cell towers (spreading across ten states)

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By PETER SVENSSON

NEW YORK (AP) - Hurricane Sandy knocked out a quarter of the cell towers in an area spreading across ten states, and the situation could get worse, federal regulators said Tuesday.

Many cell towers that are still working are doing so with the help of generators and could run out of fuel before commercial power is restored, the Federal Communications Commission said.

The landline phone network has held up better in the affected area, which stretches from Virginia to Massachusetts, the FCC said, but about a quarter of cable customers are also without service.

The FCC did not have an estimate for the number of people in the affected area.

FULL story at link.



Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20121030/DA2849B82.html

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People in New York's Tribeca neighborhood, without power because of superstorm Sandy, wait for a chance to charge their mobile phones on an available generator setup on a sidewalk, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012. Sandy, the storm that made landfall Monday, caused multiple fatalities, halted mass transit and cut power to more than 6 million homes and businesses. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

[leftyohiolib]

1. landlines usually do fair better- plus landlines provide their own battery - no need to charge

your good old dial tone phone

[snooper2]

14. unless you lose a Central Office, which happened during this storm...

for a couple companies in New York...

[leftyohiolib]

16. yes hence the word usually

[Throckmorton]

25. In my case, my landline was powered by a remote switching station,

It was the first thing to go dead after Irene killed power to it, about 4 hours as I recall. My cell service never failed, and cable lasted for almost 2 days. I only kept POTS because a lifelong friend that works for AT&T recommended it for the very reason you are citing.

Your own mileage may vary of course, and if you are connected to an old school CO, with a backup gen-set, in theory it should last for a very long time.

Please note I like to say Gen-Set, it makes me look smart.

[allan01]

2. re: Sandy takes out 25 pct of cell towers (spreading across ten states)

this is why i still keep a traditional land line phone and not soley rely on cell. i also keep a wire powered phone along with my cordless just for such situations .
thanks for sharing

[blaze]

3. Thanks OS

We haven't been able to connect with my sis (Annabanana) since last night.... I suspect this is why.

edit to add: Her land line is also down.

[countryjake]

28. Have you heard from annabanana yet?

The national news of the devastation on the rest of the South shore has been extremely limited, since that fire broke out on Breezy Point and destroyed that community. All that I've heard is that Long Beach has been buried by several feet of sand and that seven homes were washed away on Fire Island.

I have relatives who live much further north in Nassau County who have also been unreachable and my worry is compounded as each day goes by, but I fear that those barrier islands of Long Island probably took the full force of Sandy.

Here's a short piece on Long Beach when Gov. Cuomo was there:

http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S2819954.shtml?cat=300

[blaze]

30. She is fine!

Sorry countryjake, just saw your post.

They still have no power, water or sewage but are hanging in as best can be expected.

Anna B is one of the most resourceful people you could ever meet. We just talked on the phone (cell phone is coming back up YAHOOOOO!!!) and she sounded upbeat and undefeatable!!!!!!

[FrodosPet]

4. THIS is why we need Amateur Radio and copper line phones

There are people who blindly trust wireless and IP technology, who cannot see the need for old fashioned point-to-point ham radio and the POTS (Plain Old Telephone System). But here again. as in so many past disasters, they prove their resilience.

Please folks, consider spending just a few dollars and a few hours of time to help protect your family and community and indeed the world at large.

- http://www.arrl.org/public-service

- http://www.arrl.org/licensing-education-training

[Tab]

17. I want to hang onto those smoke signals too

Them's usefull things.

[FrodosPet]

19. Absolutely!

Not quite sure if that is snark or not, but I have LONG held the position that if people don't LEARN Morse Code, there should at least be printed charts in every home and business. A couple of bright flashlights, and while verrrrrrryyyyyy sllllllooooowwww, you can still communicate from a few hundred feet to several miles.

Sandy, just like Katrina and Rita and 9/11, even the Ryder Cup in Bloomfield Hills, MI a few years ago, has shown exactly how vulnerable high tech communications and payment systems are. We need backup.

[Throckmorton]

26. Yes, sending Morse is pretty easy, at least a 1 or 2 WPM, receiving it is a lot harder.

At one point I cound do about 25 WPM, but Im in the mid-teens now. Lack of practice.

[truthisfreedom]

5. I wonder how many times this question is asked there now? "Do you have a phone that works?"

Something that we haven't heard in years.

[Tx4obama]

6. When I was without electricity for two weeks after the hurricane here in Texas I had a land line

and I would never get rid of it !!!

And also keep an old fashioned telephone around too because the cordless ones that need electricity do not work.

My 'old' old fashioned one broke not long ago and I picked up a new one at Walmart for $10
they had only one model for sale.
So, I would suggest everyone find one (or two) while you can while they are still being sold

[KT2000]

8. You are so right

Those old fashioned phones are getting hard to find. I ended up with one that has huge numbers and looks pretty funny in my living room but I am not giving it up.

[BlueMan Votes]

20. i still have my old desk phone with a dial instead of a keypad...

as well as a dial wall phone that i have yet to mount

[high density]

7. 15000 watt generator on the sidewalk powering five cellphones?

I'm sorry these people are without power, but that is hilarious.

[RC]

13. Hopefully, it is also powering a store or two or three...

[Science Geek]

22. 15,000 Watts at 117 Volts, is less than 150 Amps.

A typical single family dwelling requires 200 Amp service, so it could not supply complete power for even a single store.

[Throckmorton]

23. 200 Ampere capacity yes, demand no.

I have been running my house on a 6000 watt generator very comfortably since Monday. No, we don't run the clothes dryer, electric range or the air conditioning, but it does run the furnace and the microwave.

[RC]

27. I worked for a Master Electrician for over 20 years, and

have taught Electronics. I think I can figure this out OK.

[Science Geek]

21. It could charge at least 2,142 cell phones at the same time...

...provided it had enough power-strips plugged into it, and each power adapter consumed no more than 7 watts, most use only 3 watts.
It would actually be safe and acceptable under applicable electrical code!

The power distribution panel is clearly visible on the front of the generator, and has nothing but a few cell phone chargers plugged into it. Probably only 4, as most of these generators only have two duplex 117 VAC receptacles.

[joshcryer]

24. Had the exact same thought. Should've at least been charging UPSs (uninterruptible power supply)!

Geez. WTF.

[midnight]

9. How nice that someone set that generator up for these people....

[wordpix]

10. something every apt. bldg and condo assoc should own but probably few do

I know my condo assoc is "talking" about getting one but so far "we don't have the money"

[midnight]

11. I agree....

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

12. omg

How are we going to text without cell towers?

[retread]

15. If there is access to the cell towers generators can be refueled. Backhaul from the cell site is

usually a major problem in these disasters. In most cases that is the phone company.

[RobinA]

18. I Live

in the Phila. 'burbs and as of Wed. afternoon we are still out of everything but landline phone. Well, maybe the cable TV is still working, but how would I know, since the TV is electric? To get cell phone you have to drive to where a tower is working. Not my idea of fun, with all the other problems right now.

[jackbenimble]

29. Cell vs. Land line

I wouldn't want to ever be without a land line obviously because it supplies its own power so as long as the networks are operable so is the land line. I also wouldn't want to be without a cell phone because I might need to make an emergency call while away from home. They both have their strong points, and both have their faults. Its luck really as to which ones are operable in bad weather conditions. A land line will work as long as the cables are intact and there is power at the C.O., a cell phone will work as long as you are in range of a working tower, with enough capacity to handle all the attempted calls, and as long as cables are intact, and there is power at the C.O.s. For as wonderful as it is, wireless is only wireless between a device and the tower. From that point on the signal is just as dependent on cables and C.O.s as landlines are. So everyone should have both if they can swing it.