True but the scenario sounds like every wildfire I heard of in California during the time the fire is escalating. In Maui's case they were never prepared for this given that it's rare for them.
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Maui fires & cell phone service failed
- Thread starter alok
- Start date
Actually, thanks to invasive non-native grasses, brush fires during particular warm and dry conditions happen frequently on all the islands. The conditions on Maui in this case were what was unusual: Hurricane-force winds with no accompanied moisture.
No one is going to buy a phone because of a radio and they're for darned sure not going to buy phones with antennas. It isn't 1981 any more.
These (thankfully) isolated, extreme cases are not selling points. They're outliers. As some devices add satellite capabilities, that will serve more as the "no cell service available" option for those who want it. Not radio circuitry taking up space in their phone.
There's no way taping a radio to a phone can be a serious suggestion.
Again, as stated previously, cell manufacturers have no interest in this. Why? Primarily because in practice it adds no real benefit, safety or otherwise, it takes away from the design of the phone in both appearance and the circuitry involved, and because the overwhelming majority of people buying new cell phones have no interest in this idea, either. In the majority of instances in the majority of communities and radio markets, when there are large-scale natural disasters or weather events, which often happen in the evenings and overnight hours, most stations are un-manned and running satellite or automated programming. Those that aren't, don't have the resources to start broadcasting live and giving any significant, verifyably accurate information or updates. They might possibly put live callers on the air, but they may be spreading misinformation and heresay that could make a bad situation worse.
I personally do remember when stations, even in medium and smaller markets were able to break programming and give weather warnings and updates. It was 40 years ago when most stations were live and local 24/7, staffs were larger, and the broadcasting business was a MUCH different animal in many respects. You'd be better off thinking of how a warning and information system might be developed using newer and developing technologies. In that case, you might get some interest.
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Dude reminds me of one of my elderly relatives. He kept dropping and losing his cell phones so he decided to start making belt pouches out of cheap looking imitation leather he'd buy from a fabric store and sew up himself. He wore one all the time and convinced himself that everyone else must want one, too. Problem is, cell phone pouches went out of vogue nearly 20 years ago, especially once smartphones became the norm. He once told me how popular they are and how everyone he's approached likes his and wants one. Then I saw him in action - basically he was going up to people at his church, at family reunions and other functions, showing them his pouch and asking if they'd like to have one. Most kind of just said 'sure' to not hurt the guy's feelings and he'd hand them one. He's probably handed out a hundred of these things, never charging. To date, I've never seen another person other than him wearing one. Just as Alok believes in this idea of a radio receiver in a cell phone with great passion, that doesn't mean anyone else does, regardless of how strongly he thinks it'd be a great idea. Kind of the same with the guy handing out all the cheap, laughable looking belt-mounted smartphone pouches that no one but him uses.
Update: The cellphone service in Lahaina didn't fail after all. Here is an excellent interview of a survivor of the fires who eventually was told by a 911 dispatcher that he and his neighbor would have no choice but to jump into the ocean to survive:
How a Paradise Became a Death Trap
How a Paradise Became a Death Trap
NPR also interviewed the same guy. I heard his story last week. He is very fortunate to be alive. Only people who endured it can really imagine how awful it was. A cell phone wasn't going to help much either way...
Listening to the NYT podcast interview, the cell phone did help, in that the dispatcher was able to urge the gentleman and his neighbor that their only escape was to jump into the Pacific.
this was reported awhile back, after the fires, via news media, but I wanted to post here too . . .
Interesting story on cell outages in Maui after fire, turns out the sites were not damaged by the fire but the loss of power where sites are located caused issues, many sites there are on top of buildings like hotels, guess the cell companies do not have back-up generators at such sites.
There were reports too of some people being able to get into cell/phone sites and others not which per cell system operators was caused by these power outages.
I am sure that will change now, hopefully they will put generators at these sites like they have at their own tower sites.
An example of the vulnerable cell / phone systems, again hopefully they will make improvements.
here is the story . . .
Cell tower fires did not cause Maui’s communications outages, power was the problem.
Interesting story on cell outages in Maui after fire, turns out the sites were not damaged by the fire but the loss of power where sites are located caused issues, many sites there are on top of buildings like hotels, guess the cell companies do not have back-up generators at such sites.
There were reports too of some people being able to get into cell/phone sites and others not which per cell system operators was caused by these power outages.
I am sure that will change now, hopefully they will put generators at these sites like they have at their own tower sites.
An example of the vulnerable cell / phone systems, again hopefully they will make improvements.
here is the story . . .
Cell tower fires did not cause Maui’s communications outages, power was the problem.
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AT&T helped connect the first satellite 5G phone call
AST SpaceMobile made the call on a Galaxy S22.
www.theverge.com
...marking the "first ever" 5G connection between an unmodified smartphone and a satellite in space.
Seems like the best approach would be to set up a satellite system to send texts only and give every smartphone user a solar powered battery charger (or sell them at cost at Walmart).
Kirk Bayne
Debuted with last year's iPhone: Connect to a satellite with your iPhone
The problem with building top cell sites is where are you going to store the fuel for the generator? If you use natural gas you entering one more thing to go wrong. And do you really want flammable stuff on your roof. Even if you could get it thru local zoning the buildings insurance carrier would most likely drop you. You could have the generator on the ground or basement and run the power leads up to the cell site. That could be expensive. You are asking a for profit cell company to invest in something that might or might not ever be needed again. A couple of stations I have worked at, the local government got a grant for back up power generators. They are supposed to take over the station via EAS.
Also usually there is a fiber cable (hopefully) going to a central office. Some places it is buried and sometimes it's on existing poles. Some companies use microwave to link sites but sooner or later most cell systems have to link up with the Internet and phone system at a central office. One back hoe operator or druck driver can really take out a lot of communication circuits.
Now that the smoke has cleared (pardon the pun) it has been determined that the biggest gap was the local municipality had gone completely silent. Cell sites located on the hills/mountains outside of Laniah were working, and there was a lower signal, there was cell coverage. Reports are that the 911 system was jammed with calls for help from people on cell phones. The local EMS services weren't giving guidance to local radio stations, activating their EAS, or the ability to tell citizens what to do.
One survivor (Who told his story on NPR) said the 911 operator told him his only option was to jump into the ocean. Some at 911 knew how dire the situation was. That suggestion would normally not be recommended...
Yes I posted a link to that interview further up the chain.
This is the weak link in EAS then. How many times have we seen these disaster scenarios where the local authorities with EAS responsibility didn't activate it, think about it, or even know how to use it?
How many times have seen those circumstances? Few. None, really. Plans are great but sometimes all the advance planning can’t cover every permutation and with a changing situation at a pace that outstrips any reasonable human reaction time.
Humans are imperfect. Our systems are imperfect.
I can understand that people would be using their phone to try to get information. I doubt that very many were trying to tune in a Radio station while literally fleeing for survival. Most Radio listeners have been conditioned to tune out EAS tests. Many have heard "In the event of a real emergency" countless times, but when it's actually happening; that's different...
There are several threads on this board critical of specific EAS failures.
Someone -- usually @TheBigA -- always jumps in defending the broadcasters by pointing out the responsibility was with the local authorities who failed to activate it. Do a search, you should be able to find them.