On Wed, 3 Jan 2001 22:52:21 -0500 (EST) David Lesher wrote:
Unnamed Administration sources reported that Sean Donelan said:
As power is being restored throughout the midwestern part of the US, one interesting feature showed up. A lot of telephone companies are using Subcriber Loop Carriers (SLCs) to provide service. Some phone companies are using local power sources with limited battery backup for some SLCs. With the extended power outages, central offices with generators maintained service; however, the remote equipment didn't have local generators. This resulted in people losing their local loops and telephone service as the power outages lasted for days.
Yep... The theory is, the RBOC has portable generators to deploy as needed. There's a male plug on each to receive same. That works fine for local failures (truck hits power line..). But in a widespread debacle, say Hurricane Andrew, earthquake, ice storm, etc... they have nowhere near enough, nor can they get them deployed fast enough if they did.
("re: Some" above; I've never seen a generator installation at a SLC...)
They were deployed in Maine after a large ice storm a few years back. I am not sure if they were deployed by BA, or just by the independent telephone companies. A major drawback was found; they were stolen with great frequency. After a major natural disaster, there is a a society-wide shortage of generators. Some scum just cut the securing chains, or shot out the locks, or ... regards, fletcher