Mike Dobony wrote:

I was in Springfield last week where the power is STILL out. I had a cell
phone and my daughter had a cell phone, 2 different carriers. There were
plenty of times when only 1 had service and a few times when neither had
service. Cell phones are not that reliable. How about CB and a couple
extra batteries or a decent sized generator?

this so the limited capacity bandwidth can be used by emergency
workers........

plus cell phone handsets need recharged frequently, in a power outage
that may be a issue too.

Exactly. Cell phone networks in addition to being radio (or wireless)
as we are now once again referring to it, are not designed to be cost
competitive AND as reliable as 'land lines'. Cell phone systems make a
lot of sense; fewer cables, portability of the handsets, can be
activated by building some towers and connecting them to the national
telephone network which was and still is, including the numbering
system, designed an built mainly by the traditional telephone
companies.

Also, these days, there is a lot more 'stuff' (junk if you like) being
transmitted via cell phones. When situation is normal that has good
aspects and bad. But one has visions of someone in an emergency
situation like the above (Springfield), calling up a relative in
another part of the world and saying "Hey, I'm in Springfield, look at
this picture of a tree which fell on a house in .....................
", blissfully unaware that the picture they are sending is using up
cell phone bandwidth and circuit time that could carry 100 'real
emergency' calls!!!!!!

Thirdly the old monopoly telephone networks which reported to various
regulatory commissions and had their rates approved, before the days of
'Competition', were, as somebody mentioned built to withstand various
emergencies. Standard were, huge banks of batteries good for at least
24 hours, diesel generators, extra circuits, 'thread of life' circuits
and procedures built into day to day operations that ensured what to do
if/when emergencies occurred.

Much of that 'extra' or overbuilding, which involved large capital
investments, has gone in the name of cost reductions in the face of
competition. Nowadays almost anybody can start a telephone company by
using a computer plugged into a bedroom electrical outlet. Not very
reliable, but cheap.

The telephone business is a different world today; the technology has
changed so rapidly, wider range of services available, lower price
competition for customers. So; in times of stress particularly, poorer
service and less reserve within the system/s to carry the
telecommunications through an emergency!