Officials plead for public to curb phone use
1:03 PM | July 29, 2008
The California Office of Emergency Services is urging people throughout Southern California to cut back on phone use for now, according to the Associated Press. That means cellphones as well as land line.
Spokesman Kelly Huston says the telephone system has been "maxed out" by people checking on friends and relatives. That, he says, is creating a danger for people who need to call 911 for an emergency.
Some people apparently are dialing 911 for general information about the quake. Huston said people should not do that.
-- Times staff
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We made it thru September 11 in NYC - - cells and land lines were jammed for about two hours and returned slowly thru afternoon and evening . . . .mostly good service after those first two hours . . .so calm yourselves about your quake this afternoon . . .even the most sophisticated communication doesn't have limitless service when EVERYONE is using it . .
Posted by: barbara | July 29, 2008 at 05:37 PM
It is a bit unnerving that a phone system can be overburdened so quickly. Phones are most useful in extraordinary circumstances and then it seems like they never work. What would happen in a real major disaster?
Posted by: Michael | July 29, 2008 at 02:15 PM