Wireless Carriers Step It Up In Response To Fires Offer free calling and Internet services to locals.... T-Mobile has lost thirty towers due to the Southern California wildfires; Verizon Wireless says they've lost eleven. The loss of infrastructure mixed with the surge in disaster-related traffic has obviously strained local networks. AT&T is offering free calls and web access at a number of locations, as is Verizon Wireless. T-Mobile has made Wi-Fi access free across all of its hotspots in Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Locals are finding services like Google Maps and Twitter incredibly useful, as they spit out the necessary information much more quickly than cable news networks can. Maps like this one are allowing people to track the fires in real time. Meanwhile, NASA has posted the latest satellite image of the fires here.
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 | | Now Only if they thought this way with all of their services. | |
|  gatorkramNeed for SpeedPremium
join:2002-07-22
Winterville, NC
kudos:2 | Nightmare What a nightmare it has to be right now, for all the people involved in this huge mess.
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Give me bandwidth or give me death!
»/testhistory/661871/4f240 | |
| | | | This is why.... This is why we have HAM radio and field radio operators. For exactly these cases when the towers are knocked out. The good news is that insurence will cover new towers and better tech to be put up. I'm glad to see that wireless carriers are responding like this. Hopefully they can get portable towers up and in place soon to help augment the call volume. | |
|  |  TransmasterDon't Blame Me I Voted For Bill and Opus
join:2001-06-20
Cheyenne, WY | Re: This is why.... This is the sort of thing we train for during our annual field day, and other field exercises so we can provide Basic communications between service centers, fire camps, Red cross centers, etc.
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Eat a BLT for Iran | |
| | |  Subaru1-3-2-4Premium
join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT | Re: This is why.... said by Transmaster:This is the sort of thing we train for during our annual field day, and other field exercises so we can provide Basic communications between service centers, fire camps, Red cross centers, etc. And this is why I'm taking my HAM testing next month just in case something happens near here. | |
| | | | AquaSportCalifornia - Sun, Surf, Traffic Jams
join:2007-05-03
California | Re: This is why.... said by Subaru:said by Transmaster:This is the sort of thing we train for during our annual field day, and other field exercises so we can provide Basic communications between service centers, fire camps, Red cross centers, etc. And this is why I'm taking my HAM testing next month just in case something happens near here. and that's why i'm a HAM! (amateur radio operator - not sure what the H stands for... or the M)
it's not too difficult, more people should become...
actually, then it'd be like the cell phones in an emergency 
-CM
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Out with the old, in with the Antique! | |
| | | |  davoice
join:2000-08-12
Saxapahaw, NC | I'm a bit more newfangled. HAM doesn't travel so well unless you invest heavily in a portable kit.
I keep an Inmarsat Mini-M and an Iridium phone at the ready on basic accounts. They saved many butts during Katrina (especially the Iridium) when I was able to put them in the hands of normal people doing rescue and response work and say "here, use this".
You'll laugh but I've also done 9600 baud data sessions on an emergency basis on the Iridium. A bit flaky but when you absolutely need packet access, it works.
}Davoice | |
| | | | | | | Re: This is why.... You could be on the air for 150 to 200 bucks. I spent about $350 on a good HT and about $500 on a portable HF/UHF/VHF rig. All of them fit in my backpack with my laptop and can be on the air in no time. | |
| | | | | | Subaru1-3-2-4Premium
join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT | Re: This is why.... I have one radio now but I will be buying another next month which should go in line with me getting my testing done and all. | |
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|  JamesonPremium
join:2004-05-28
Fallbrook, CA
kudos:1 | said by BPLSUCKS9:This is why we have HAM radio and field radio operators. For exactly these cases when the towers are knocked out. The good news is that insurence will cover new towers and better tech to be put up. I'm glad to see that wireless carriers are responding like this. Hopefully they can get portable towers up and in place soon to help augment the call volume. Been listening to mine throughout the whole thing. Best source of info, the news sucks! Fallbrook repeater ftw. | |
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 meister_sdPremium
join:2006-01-29
La Mesa, CA
kudos:7 | Lessons Learned This time around, the emergency services infrastructure was better planned and executed than the last fire of 2003. The outpour of public support and some of the big players in town, such as Qualcomm stadium (our football stadium), aided in shelters for those evacuated. People donated so much stuff that many places had to stop taking things for a while because the community support is amazing. All emergency services (Fire, Police, etc.) have been applauded in their efforts to BOTH protect and inform.
San Diego is such a multi cultural community and it has been nice to see everyone acting as one and unselfishly supporting and helping their fellow San Diegan. | |
| | |  en102Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | Re: Santa Clarita also utilized Google Maps How close did it get to you... I know it was back in the canyons, and you're out there by Coppper Hill/McBean.
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Canada = Hollywood North | |
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