Puerto Rico just lost internet?

Thu Sep 21 03:29:06 UTC 2017

Thank you for this info!

I think most of us kind of know there are backup power strategies in place
but this is very detailed and appreciated. The little communication I have
had with family on the island they tell me no internet, no cable tv, etc so
this timing is good to know for when the few cell towers that survived
start to go dark.

- J

On Wed, Sep 20, 2017 at 4:36 PM, Sean Donelan <sean at donelan.com> wrote:

> On Wed, 20 Sep 2017, Javier J wrote:
>
>> How long usually till generators at cell sites run out of juice?
>>
>
> Rough, every provider is different, backup power hierarchy:
>
> Neighborhood pole boxes: 1-4 hours, batteries only. May be re-charged with
> portable generators when safe to access area. There is likely severe
> physical damage to neighborhood lines.
>
> Cell towers: 8-12 hours battery. Some, not all, towers have a natural gas
> generator or 24 hours diesel generator
>
> Central offices and cable headends: 8-12 hours battery, 1-3 days diesel
> generators. Core, tandem, and hub sites usually have more backup.
>
> Major colocation data centers: <1 hour battery, 3-14 days diesel generators
>
> Submarine cable landing points and satellite control stations: 24 hours
> battery, 30 days diesel generators
>
>