IP: some additional info on U.S. Considers Restricting Cellphone Use in Disasters

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> From: "Dan Wing" <dwing () cisco com>
> To: <dave () farber net>
>
> Dave,
>
> Cellular networks already have support for this via "Access
> Overload Class" (search on google).  It is not widely used,
> however, and I don't believe any cellular providers actually
> support it.
>
> However, its intent is that specific phones would receive
> call-completion priority when the cellular network is running
> at capacity.  Those specific phones would be programmed
> appropriately and used by police, government, and emergency
> personnel.
>
> Likewise, the PSTN has similar sorts of circuits for government
> agencies and some critical private and quasi-private industries.
>
>
> Part of the difficulty is determining who should have such
> phones.  Should all the staffers of CNN's Atlanta
> headquarters have such phones (to get the news sent to
> the populace)?  NY Times staffers and printers?  The
> company that delivers newsprint to the NY Times printing
> centers?
>
>
>
> Something else to remember is that only a few years ago all
> GPS signals were incorrect by hundreds of feet -- this was
> done on purpose by the US Government to prevent enemies from
> using GPS to target weapons.  DoD GPS receivers are able to
> correct for this distortion of the GPS signals.
>
> However, during the persian gulf war it was found that many troops
> were using over-the-counter GPS receivers (which can't correct the
> signal) instead of DoD GPS receivers.  Instead of purchasing 100s
> or 1000s of DoD GPS receivers, the government temporarily (and
> eventually permanently) allowed the GPS signals to be accurate
> so the correction wasn't necessary.
>
> I can't imagine that distribution of cellular phones with "priority"
> access using either AOC or this new "disable the cellular system"
> would actually be any better than the military's experience with
> GPS.
>
>
> One other factiod is the Israeli army prohibits their troops from
> carrying cellular phones because the signals emitted by the phones
> can be detected -- thus detecting troop locations -- and the
> network itself can become overloaded or easily jammed.  Thus, if
> troops become reliant on cellular phones, that network will be
> destroyed at times of war (or terrorist action).
>
> -d

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