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Discussion: How long before phone networks collapse?
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Zaxon71 |
How long before phone networks collapse?
Jan 2 2009, 1:54 PM EST
This is a bit technical question, but in a post-apocalyptical environment, how long will structures and systems last before collapsing?For instance: electrical power, base stations for mobile phones, water supplies, internet and so on and so on. Without new supplies coming in, how long would an technically able person be able to maintain a local computer network? Do you find this valuable?
Keyword tags:
electricity
internet
mobile
water
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Survivor_Gill |
1. RE: How long before phone networks collapse?
Jan 2 2009, 2:14 PM EST
Well as long as you have electricity and computers, you'll always be able to set up a LAN.I think the big variable in all the other services is the electrical supply. The vulnerability of the grid depends on a number of things including generation source, government emergency planning, their effectiveness and general damage. By general damage, I mean to the electrical grid. Power could be up, but if an injured and dying man accidentally plows his car into an electrical substation, then you're fucked. I wouldn't expect to have general utilities any longer than a couple days. Some of them, such as water could perspectively last longer, but it's hard to give a ballpark number, simply because each situation is different. I wouldn't want to rely on something that could be gone in a split second anyways. Maybe somebody with more accurate knowledge of civil engineering could better answer one of these questions. Do you find this valuable? |
KalZion |
2. RE: How long before phone networks collapse?
Jan 2 2009, 2:21 PM EST
Interesting topic. This could actually depend on what country you live in, regions etc. Right?Mobile phones coverage depend on electrical power... Now then, a power plant would require people to function. Mobile networks for that specific area should collapse when electricity runs out... Water supplies should last for a long time since humans are not required for it to work. Internet should depend on your ISP. I am not entirely sure if humans are needed or not. Do you find this valuable? |
SkipNChurch |
3. Phones are computer controlled/switched
Jan 2 2009, 2:23 PM EST
Will expect that landlines will go down quickly as electricity is no longer smoothly delivered to servers.IIRC, local landlines will still work *some*, but our infrastructure handling bulk of intra- and inter-national calls, satellite and cable will quickly die as the power that makes them work quits. Cell phones also so affected,. Cell networks are totally grid power dependent. Not much for good news on "easy communications". SnC *SeeThisSpotForAdvertisingLater* Do you find this valuable? |
mc_riddle |
4. RE: Phones are computer controlled/switched
May 6 2009, 6:18 PM EDT
I work in a major mobile/cellphone and internet telco provider.All mobile infrastructure, that is MSC's, Base Stations, Repeaters etc run off mains power. They would only operate as long as power was supplied. Each standard 3G base station has about 4 hours of battery life that kicks in when power is disrupted. Internet would be the same. Whilst satellites may run indefinately, the infrastructure required to use them would die along with the power. Do you find this valuable? |
byates |
5. RE: How long before phone networks collapse?
May 6 2009, 8:12 PM EDT
Expect all utilities to go down. The electric grid is vulnerable to a quick shutdown and everything else is tied to the grid. Water and natural gas are controlled by pumping stations and valves that in turn are controlled by electricity. Local systems may be kept up by locals for an unknown amount of time, but without replacement parts they too will go down.
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DevilNuts |
6. RE: How long before phone networks collapse?
May 6 2009, 8:15 PM EDT
I work with alot of comm equipment in a field environment (plus side of being a nasty pogue) so I have seen some really neat phone gear. Cool thing about phones is that they don't require alot of electricity to operate. You can buy, build, whatever - a phone system that cranks up or will run for quite awhile from batteries. Won't be AT&T, but you can wire up your street real nicely. Do you find this valuable? |
livingdeadman |
7. RE: How long before phone networks collapse?
May 6 2009, 8:24 PM EDT
"In my town there are three water towers. It requires power to pump the water up there. When the power goes there may be a few days worth left up there if no one left a faucet running. Do you find this valuable? |
dreadling |
8. RE: How long before phone networks collapse?
May 7 2009, 8:37 AM EDT
If the mains power fails, all mobile/internet etc networks do have a UPS to supply them with power for a limited time, however once that runs out, the likelihood is that all servers will either overheat and ignite, or die. Even if you have techs there, they wont be able to maintain the network servers.. electricity is a lost cause in Z-day. Battery power wins on Z-day. Technology may be becoming more and more used in everyday life but it's not something we ulitmately depend on, humans survived without phoning each other before, we can do it again. Wind-up radios, morse code, letters, we can communicate perfectly well without using electricity. Just make sure you stock up on batteries. And if you're planning on calling your family and friends during Z-day, the likelihood is that even if there IS still power and working networks, the networks are going to be PACKED with traffic due to everyone calling their families in panic, so really, phones are pretty pointless ih my opinion. Do you find this valuable? |
timberrattler |
9. RE: How long before phone networks collapse?
May 7 2009, 9:09 AM EDT
"Expect all utilities to go down. The electric grid is vulnerable to a quick shutdown and everything else is tied to the grid. Water and natural gas are controlled by pumping stations and valves that in turn are controlled by electricity. Local systems may be kept up by locals for an unknown amount of time, but without replacement parts they too will go down."Most natural gas pumping stations have NG powered compressors. They have NG powered generators as well. Thats why when people have a power outage they still have NG. However none of that matters because the pumping stations that pressure up the main are like a chain. If you break one link its useless. Even though most have some form of security fence its more than likely they will eventually fall. If not from Zs or raiders then from mechanical failure. It will still probably be the last utility to fail. Do you find this valuable? |
necroslaughter |
10. RE: How long before phone networks collapse?
May 7 2009, 9:34 AM EDT
I lived in Maine when they had the worst ice storm in recorded history and we lost everything but the phones. They are almost completely computerized and in many places, the cables run underground so the elements don’t mess with them so they need little up keep. As for cell service I can’t even get that now where I live. I bet electricity will be gone in a matter of days a week tops, especially where I live. One mindless puss bag walking around a relay station and off goes a circuit breaker.
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austin421lucky |
11. RE: How long before phone networks collapse?
Aug 20 2009, 2:21 PM EDT
what if it's like government quarantine, they turn off the electrisity, water, internet, phones ect.?
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necroslaughter |
12. RE: How long before phone networks collapse?
Aug 20 2009, 3:15 PM EDT
Many phone lines are underground, fiber optic, 100% automated and run off generators. How often do your lights go out but phones stay on-a lot around me. I don't think I have ever lost my phone service. The people who will have the problem are those with funky service like Internet phone-I think they may as well lube up for the screwing.
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livingdeadman |
13. RE: How long before phone networks collapse?
Aug 20 2009, 3:59 PM EDT
Phones require power but that power comes through the phone line not the power line. According to a fellow on another site who has worked for years at power companies you can expect power to fail in some areas within 4 hours and the entire grid going down within 24 hours without human intervention.Some power plants may see what's coming and remove their station from the gird and that would prolong local power supplies but not by much. At least half the power in the US is supplied by coal. You really shouldn't expect your phone to work beyond 24-36 hours. Do you find this valuable? |
kyallroad |
14. RE: How long before phone networks collapse?
Aug 20 2009, 10:52 PM EDT
How about another utility that hasn't been mentioned? Sewer. That's right, without pumping stations your toilets won't work for long and if you are lower than some of your neighbors, raw sewage can flood up out of your drains. Yum.Also garbage, we shouldn't be generating as much of it once we stop going to Walmart but still...after the nice sanitation worker stops coming around things will start to stink. Do you find this valuable? |
Mercob |
15. RE: How long before phone networks collapse?
Aug 20 2009, 11:02 PM EDT
haha go make a fort at the phone company and tell them to keep doing their job in exchange for keeping them safe :P just to keep making phone calls :P
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lordreven6 |
16. RE: How long before phone networks collapse?
Aug 20 2009, 11:07 PM EDT
well thats a good idea though... you take a gennie hook it up to the tower(make sure to have plenty of diesel) get someone form the phone company and you now have an operational cell phone tower allowing you to make calls to any other areas with power to towers AND being able to contact anyone who cell is in range of the tower. Do you find this valuable? |
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necroslaughter |
17. RE: How long before phone networks collapse?
Aug 21 2009, 12:11 PM EDT
| Post edited: Aug 21 2009, 12:13 PM EDT
"Phones require power but that power comes through the phone line not the power line. According to a fellow on another site who has worked for years at power companies you can expect power to fail in some areas within 4 hours and the entire grid going down within 24 hours without human intervention.Phones will run off of generators at relay stations these are massive and can last as long as a month w/out human intervention. I have already been wweks w/out electricty in Maine and the phones continued to work. To say they won't work after 24-36 hours is simply false. I live very rural now and it is normal to lose power for 2-3 days at a time in the winter and I have never lost phone service and my lines are above ground. Do you find this valuable? |
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DevilNuts |
18. RE: How long before phone networks collapse?
Aug 21 2009, 2:02 PM EDT
Not sure about land line phones, but I can tell you that once the power grid comes down you can not expect to see any sort of internet service.If you have your own power source and equipment, you can still create LAN's and even a WAN to some extent, but I struggle to see the usefulness of it without the benefit of long-range internet communication. Do you find this valuable? |
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necroslaughter |
19. RE: How long before phone networks collapse?
Aug 21 2009, 2:13 PM EDT
It’s the whole Diary of the Dead back story about the collapse of technology and how dependent people have become. When Barbara ran to the farmhouse in NOTLD they had a B&W TV with tubes and a radio now people worry about the internet. If Z-day came I would be OK w/out the internet as long as plasma keeps working. I have 20+/- inches of PC monitor but 60 inches of Hi-Def plasma. Gene runs the TV and deep fryer (must have buffalo wings) I have CDs (oddly enough mostly about zombies) which would be ironic to watch on Z-day. Internet we don’t need no stinking internet –obscure movie reference.
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