The only thing I noticed here in the Houston-Galveston area, this Friday
evening, is that the cell phone systems seem to be overloaded -- clear past
Midnight.

Bill, K5BY

WShoots1 wrote:

The only thing I noticed here in the Houston-Galveston area, this Friday
evening, is that the cell phone systems seem to be overloaded -- clear past
Midnight.

I thought each cell phone relay site had back up power but apparently
not so, judging from last nights experience in the northeast.


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"starman" wrote in message
...

I thought each cell phone relay site had back up power but apparently
not so, judging from last nights experience in the northeast.


The problem wasn't with a lack of power for cell sites, it was with overuse.
The system is capable of only about 20% of it's customers using it at one
time. When the power dropped, everyone with a cell phone was trying to call,
like trying to put 10 lbs. of feces into a 3 lb. bucket..

On Sat, 16 Aug 2003 19:17:55 +0900, "Brenda Ann"
wrote:

time. When the power dropped, everyone with a cell phone was trying to call,
like trying to put 10 lbs. of feces into a 3 lb. bucket..

Excellent analogy, for more reasons than one.

73 DE John, KC2HMZ

My wife & I use small FSR's ( & Extra Batteries) to communicate during
emergencies. We have an evacuation plan;
meeting places / fall backs, etc.

During a real emergency, Cell phones are about as useful as bricks.

- In article ,
(WShoots1) writes:


The only thing I noticed here in the Houston-Galveston area, this Friday
evening, is that the cell phone systems seem to be overloaded -- clear past
Midnight.

Bill, K5BY

Apparently the Cingular hub in Houston was and still is overloaded. I get
notices of messages several hours late, and I don't get the inital calls at
all. To retrieve messages, I have to use my landline. I assume the voice mail
is stored at the hub. My local cell is working fine.

Although I think it's still primitive with the cell systems, they may have as
the wire systems have and that's prearranged priority circuits, so that only
emergency services can initiate calls from a cell phone.

like trying to put 10 lbs. of feces into a 3 lb. bucket..

LOL That's called a "blivet."

Bill, K5BY