Author Topic: Cell Phone Coverage in Louisana  (Read 1059 times)

DrAmazon

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Cell Phone Coverage in Louisana
« on: September 01, 2005, 03:56:28 AM »
Just an FYI to anyone waiting to hear from friends and family in LA.  I have heard from one of my good friends, and she says that at least in her family, the Verizon phones are the only ones getting any signal at all.  The signal is weak, and generally only there in the morning.  She has managed to get one call out per morning, and that's it.
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mtnbkr

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Cell Phone Coverage in Louisana
« Reply #1 on: September 01, 2005, 05:00:09 AM »
FWIW, text messages might get through easier.  They're lower priority traffic, so they can be "held" for a bit while priority is given to voice.  This means your text will get through in a few minutes where you might not be able to establish a voice call.

This is all theoretical since for all I know, Verizon may have shut off all functions but voice, but in general, that is how it would work.

Chris

Antibubba

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Cell Phone Coverage in Louisana
« Reply #2 on: September 01, 2005, 07:50:31 AM »
I work for Sprint/Nextel PCS, so I have a little insight.

It isn't just the cell towers that are a problem-a lot of the big switching stations that route land calls went through the biggest city in the area-NO.  So land calls, and cell to land, and land to cell, are FUBAR.  For the towers that are still up, power isn't available.  Also, if a caller has their local calling area in the devastated area, the network can't authenticate their ID, even if they've left the area, and are trying to call outside the area.  It's being worked on, but given the dire situation, it's going to take some time.  I can't speak for the text messaging.

Sprint/Nextel also has web service on a lot of our phones, but between the chaos down there, and the fact that the Sprint customers who fled now have only their phones to access the web, a lot of people are being timed out.  

It's heartbreaking to take calls from refugees. Sad
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