Crist Clark wrote:
<Gratuitous-Plug=Employer> If you really want high reliability during and after a natural disaster, satellite phones are probably your best option.
That's who I thought you worked for, but the only satellite phone provider whose name I consistently remember is Iridium (aren't they bankrupt and/or gone?) Of course, you have issues with satellite phones too. Cost is one such issue. Even when I signed up for my first cell phone in 1993, long before the wireless boom, airtime was still only about 40 to 50 cents per minute[0] - about 1/2 or 1/3 of what you'll pay per minute for a satellite phone today, IIRC. (Please correct me if necessary!) Another, potentially worse, problem occurs if you don't have line of sight to the bird... that's precisely why I ended up with cable TV instead of satellite when I lived in Lake County, Ohio - three *very* tall trees to the south of my house, with DirecTV's satellite *and* Dish's satellite both requiring line of sight to the southwest.
during hurricane season. (Although I'd rather not slide into the discussion about how 911 works for us.)
It doesn't? ;) **SJS [0] All monetary figures quoted here are in US dollars -- Steve Sobol, Professional Geek 888-480-4638 PGP: 0xE3AE35ED Company website: http://JustThe.net/ Personal blog, resume, portfolio: http://SteveSobol.com/ E: sjsobol@JustThe.net Snail: 22674 Motnocab Road, Apple Valley, CA 92307