You're all over thinking this

Thu Jul 21 22:47:50 UTC 2005

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

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