[LINK] No cash for phone alert system

[Ivan Trundle]

On 16/02/2009, at 10:32 PM, Ash Nallawalla wrote:

> Can't be bothered to read up on that, but doesn't current technology
> suffice?  I am usually within range of 2-4 towers and incoming calls  
> usually
> (I'm with 3) reach me without MoLI. Therefore a cell broadcast  
> should also
> find me.  Yes?

Perhaps I'm missing the point in all this, but my (limited) experience  
of disasters shows that the very first network to go under is the  
mobile phone network. Simply being in range of a tower is all very  
well, but that assumes that the towers exist and are operating.

In 2003, radio broadcasts were all that we could rely on for  
information, and they were woefully out of synch with what was  
actually happening on the ground. Even living in a place with  
panoramic views became pointless when visibility was reduced to a few  
hundred metres.

Ultimately, technology has no real solution for these kinds of  
problems: there are severe limitations in communication both far and  
wide, and I think that we are asking too much to expect that we can  
all instantly know what crisis is unfolding and how to react.

That is, until we all learn telepathy, and can become part of the hive.

iT