NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] FCC upset about "cell phone logjam" after D.C. quake
FCC upset about "cell phone logjam" after D.C. quake
http://j.mp/pm4xiF (CNN)
"The Federal Communications Commission says it is looking into the
failures of cell phone service that occurred Tuesday afternoon after
the East Coast earthquake. For as long as an hour after the quake,
wireless customers in Washington and elsewhere reported being unable
to get calls through."
- - -
I'll admit I laughed out loud as I read this story. All it takes is a
trembler in their own back yard, and suddenly the FCC cares about cell
network reliability, something those of us in areas where natural
disasters are common have been talking about for many years.
And how long before AT&T starts running ads claiming this will never
happen again if they're allowed to merge with T-Mobile?
Go tell it to the judge, AT&T. In a pig's eye.
Even with ten times the spectrum, wireless can't compete with wired
systems for capacity during emergencies, by their very natures. Many
of us have been warning of this for ages, as more and more people have
abandoned their wired phones, lulled by the carriers into thinking
that wireless will be just as reliable during disasters, with power
failure issues just one key aspect.
Oh, and don't miss the part of the article where "LTE" is touted as a
mechanism for prioritizing 911 calls!
Send in the clowns.
--Lauren--
NNSquad Moderator