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I'd would like people with knowledge about mobile networks explain this issue. Here in Peru after an earthquake mobile networks were down by near 12 hours (actually still we got problems) increasing panic. Is this normal beacuse of increased calls? is this avoidable? can operators increase their normal limits in emergencies? Thanx in advance.
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Posted: 2007-08-17 05:06:30
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I don't think operators do. It is common for the network to suddenly be overloaded when something major happens but that is only a temporary thing.
It sounds to me like large parts of the network have taken a hit if it has been down for more than 12 hours. Are you still having trouble?
Anyway, hope you're OK and sorry to hear of your troubles, it must be horrible.
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Posted: 2007-08-17 08:43:41
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Ica province to the south received the worst impact (mainly Pisco city). Mobile network was totally down the first 3 hours and we got very limited calls the next 9 hours. Until now service is not so good. Gov complains to operators now but I'm not sure what's the exactly level of guilt. As you said, despite disasters we can't make a call sometimes but this could mean operators only put the minimal required equipment (computers/antennas/etc)?
A link to this new from CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD[....]/16/peru.earthquake/index.html
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Posted: 2007-08-17 09:40:06
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If some towers were damaged then the other towers will have to take the traffic, congesting the networks.
Like Christmas and New Year here, the networks are congested you can call your mom and get through to some drunk guy in Cape Town
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Posted: 2007-08-17 10:25:35
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I remember a few years ago, a popular TV show ran a text competion and it crashed Vodafone NZ's network!
VFNZ were very embarressed and it hasn't happened since... I guess it just depends on how close to maximum capacity the network runs during normal everyday usage.
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Posted: 2007-08-17 10:43:54
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On 2007-08-17 05:06:30, Oco wrote:
I'd would like people with knowledge about mobile networks explain this issue. Here in Peru after an earthquake mobile networks were down by near 12 hours (actually still we got problems) increasing panic. Is this normal beacuse of increased calls? is this avoidable? can operators increase their normal limits in emergencies? Thanx in advance.
actually after massive disasters, i'm pretty sure they switch a lot of bandwidth over and dedicate it to emergency services.
of course the first thing everyone wants to do is call there loved ones and make sure they are ok. and this is every mobile in the country all being used at once. its usually the local cell that cant handle all the people trying to connect at once....
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Posted: 2007-08-17 10:57:02
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@batsie - you are correct, in the uk anyway, the networks switch off their networks to emergency traffic only so important calls etc from emergency services can get through etc etc...
Not sure if other networks do.
Voda in the UK have plans that when an emergency happens the main emergency services HQ's contact vodafone and state a special code word thats changed each month... they then give information regarding the areas needing switching off and they are then turned off for a duration dictated by the emergency services.
Hope this helps clear some things up.
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Posted: 2007-08-17 13:27:57
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I was with voda on 7/7 and recall not being able to make calls all the way from marylebone, down baker street, park lane to victoria station and almost all the way on the train to clapham junction!
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Posted: 2007-08-17 13:29:23
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Same happened to me, even on o2...
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Posted: 2007-08-17 20:41:58
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Can happen for two reasons, lots of people calling to make sure everything's ok, or the quake did some damage to the network towers.
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Posted: 2007-08-17 21:00:03
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