Re: Cable/Wireless-Tower Map for the San Francisco Bay Coastside?

[Mike Hammett <nanog () ics-il net>]

https://www.cellmapper.net/map has crowd-sourced tower maps. 




----- 
Mike Hammett 
Intelligent Computing Solutions 

Midwest Internet Exchange 

The Brothers WISP 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Yosem Companys" <ycompanys () gmail com> 
To: nanog () nanog org 
Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2019 5:29:27 PM 
Subject: Cable/Wireless-Tower Map for the San Francisco Bay Coastside? 


Hey All, 


Does anyone know whether there's a map that shows the cable/wireless-tower map for the San Francisco Bay Coastside 
(i.e., from Montara to Half Moon Bay)? 


A few days ago, a truck hit a PG&E post on Highway 92, which traverses from San Mateo to Half Moon Bay. The accident 
caused the post to fall to the ground. 


The Coastside has one Comcast-owned, fiber-optic cable that crosses the mountains from Silicon Valley to the Coastside. 
I guess the cable must run on PG&E posts because not only did the accident cause a blackout in some areas of the 
Coastside but also the entire Coastside was left without almost any Cable TV, Internet, or mobile phone connectivity 
for practically 24 hours. 


I only have anecdotal evidence, but it seems that there was no Comcast or Verizon service whatsoever because Verizon 
leases the fiber-optic line from Comcast. It also seems that DirecTV and AT&T were not affected, and the theories vary 
as to why. Perhaps AT&T uses a combination of copper wire and wireless to service the area. DirecTV allegedly leases 
connectivity from AT&T. 


I've also heard that Sprint PCS paid the owner of a building near the El Granada post office to use it to relay a 
mobile signal from there. But when I asked on Nextdoor about the incident no one mentioned Sprint. In prior 
discussions, Coastside residents say they avoid Sprint and AT&T due to their spotty service. And I know nothing about 
T-Mobile. 


The reason I ask is because this is not the first time that Coastside residents have been left without mobile service, 
cable TV, and Internet connectivity. In fact, it seems to be a frequent phenomenon, making me wonder that if the 
infrastructure here is so fragile what would happen in the case of the "Big One" or, God forbid, a Tsunami or major 
storm surge. 


I understand that there's a plan for emergency responders to maintain Internet and mobile connectivity that includes 
microwave connectivity, but I have yet to obtain the details. So I'm trying to get as much data as I can to help local 
decision-makers figure out how to make the Coastside more resilient before the next disaster strikes. 


Thanks, 
Yosem