IP: Telecom Bill and it's potential implications on emergency

[Dave Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

Date: Sat, 3 Feb 96 12:02 EST
From: Andrew Seybold <0002640543 () mcimail com>
To: David Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>
Subject: Telecom Bill


-- [ From: Andrew M. Seybold * EMC.Ver #2.0 ] --


First, Dave, I have asked to have my site linked as per one of your last
messages.


While I know that there are many more important issues being fought with
the Telcom bill, I wonder if the issues I raise below might not be helpful
in the overall fight?


Best


Andy


Did anyone really look into what having telephone service delivered by
cable tv and wireless to the home really means?


During the earthquakes in California the "phone" company system was down
for only hours or at the most a day. This is because their equipment is all
locatged in hardened sites, with battery and generator back-up.


The cable providers were off the air for weeks!


The cellular service was operating, but waits to get on the system was
measured in hours!


Why, because the cable sites are NOT hardened, they have no emergency power
back-up, and thier repair crews do not work in bad weather.


The cellular system has no way of prioritizing users so everyone gets the
same chance at the "dial tone"


The  "phone system" good or bad, not only has hardened sites but also
during a major disaster they manage the way phone service is used, and have
the ability to cut it off to groups of users. Emergency calls get priority,
then pay phones are added back in, followed by speical services, then
business and then home. 


You might want to argue about the order of things but you cannot argue with
the management of communications during disasters. During the Oklahoma
bombing aftermath the government had to go on the radio and tv stations and
beg users not to try and make cellular calls in the down-town area becuase
cellular was the only cross agency communications available.


The point?


If people opt for cheaper dial tone what does this new bill do to protect
them? If senior citizens on fixed incomes opt for a cable tv system dial
tone, do they realize that in time of an emergency the dial tone might not
be there? What about calls to 911...what is in the bill to protect the
user?


They can protect the "user" from stuff on the Internet, why did they not
protect the "user" of the dial tone?


Just a few thoughts for consideration.


Andy