Solar Eclipse

[chrismol1]

These guys are optimistic

Will cell service work during the eclipse? Here’s what 3 carriers expect

Cellphone carrier AT&T said people across different networks saw slowdowns during the last eclipse in 2017.

www.wivb.com

Nexstar’s KXAN asked three providers – AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon – whether or not they expect any disruption on April 8, the day of the total solar eclipse.

Cell phone carrier AT&T said people across different networks saw slowdowns during the last eclipse over the U.S., in 2017. Since then, customers have gained access to 5G service—meaning nearly 100 times the number of people can be on the network at the same time compared to previous 4G capacity.

AT&T expects “no direct operational impact” on its network, a company spokesperson said.


Similarly, Verizon expects no impact on its network during the eclipse.

“In areas where people may gather to experience this event, we’re confident the additional capacity we’ve layered into the network over the past few years will accommodate any increases in data usage,” a Verizon spokesperson said.


A T-Mobile spokesperson said its “network is ready for the eclipse.”


The service provider is working with state and local agencies to add extra support for large gatherings. This includes “deploying additional cell sites” for areas expecting higher tourist traffic, according to T-Mobile’s eclipse prep website.

 

[garys]

It's Y2K all over again. I remember a mechanical stretcher at a VA hospital that had a "Y2K ready" sticker on it.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

These guys are optimistic

Will cell service work during the eclipse? Here’s what 3 carriers expect

Cellphone carrier AT&T said people across different networks saw slowdowns during the last eclipse in 2017.

www.wivb.com

Nexstar’s KXAN asked three providers – AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon – whether or not they expect any disruption on April 8, the day of the total solar eclipse.

Cell phone carrier AT&T said people across different networks saw slowdowns during the last eclipse over the U.S., in 2017. Since then, customers have gained access to 5G service—meaning nearly 100 times the number of people can be on the network at the same time compared to previous 4G capacity.

AT&T expects “no direct operational impact” on its network, a company spokesperson said.


Similarly, Verizon expects no impact on its network during the eclipse.

“In areas where people may gather to experience this event, we’re confident the additional capacity we’ve layered into the network over the past few years will accommodate any increases in data usage,” a Verizon spokesperson said.


A T-Mobile spokesperson said its “network is ready for the eclipse.”


The service provider is working with state and local agencies to add extra support for large gatherings. This includes “deploying additional cell sites” for areas expecting higher tourist traffic, according to T-Mobile’s eclipse prep website.

That's funny...in the viewing area and they told our EMC that they could physically move sectors to help better cover the load (which would cause existing coverage to suffer) but it made it pretty evident that they were not confident about the dependability of the network.

Fun little side note, back in October there was a structure fire in Marble Falls that made the news that shutdown 281 going across the river. What no one wants to remember is that even then (6 months ago) the cell sites covering Marble Falls completely became overloaded to the point of dropping calls, not allowing data and even struggling to support priority services such as FirstNet and Frontline...on the fancy 5G networks.

 

[brcoz]

I remember having to verify computer equipment at the hospital I worked at. I did have to put stickers on. The big issue was not so much the equipment, but the system programs that only a two digit year. (19XX )

 

[MUTNAV]

This is only like 4 minutes, right?

Thanks
Joel

 

[WB5UOM]

And now the prediction is cloudy ...Im still staying home unless I get called out

 

[garys]

I knew somebody who made a lot of money rewriting routines because of that. I forget what language it was, but it was obsolete for the most part and they brought him back from retirement to fix the problem. Which turned out not to be a problem. He still cashed the check.

I remember having to verify computer equipment at the hospital I worked at. I did have to put stickers on. The big issue was not so much the equipment, but the system programs that only a two digit year. (19XX )

 

[garys]

If it's not cloudy and raining I'll walk out on the patio to take a look.

And now the prediction is cloudy ...Im still staying home unless I get called out

 

[MUTNAV]

I knew somebody who made a lot of money rewriting routines because of that. I forget what language it was, but it was obsolete for the most part and they brought him back from retirement to fix the problem. Which turned out not to be a problem. He still cashed the check.

Most likely COBOL... There was also an uptick just a few years ago with companies looking for programmers to update some software also.

Thanks
Joel

 

[MUTNAV]

Anyone hear from that music star during the last eclipse that said it was ok to look at it directly because it's been happening for thousands of years and there wasn't many reports of blindness from it. He had made the decision to look at it directly.

Thanks
Joel

 

[garys]

That sounds right. It was a mainframe language, which I think COBOL is.

Most likely COBOL... There was also an uptick just a few years ago with companies looking for programmers to update some software also.

Thanks
Joel

 

[garys]

There's a funny (for the time) clip from the 1937 movie "King Solomon's Mines" where the hero catches the bad guys off guard by predicting an eclipse.

Anyone hear from that music star during the last eclipse that said it was ok to look at it directly because it's been happening for thousands of years and there wasn't many reports of blindness from it. He had made the decision to look at it directly.

Thanks
Joel

 

[KevinC]

and they told our EMC that they could physically move sectors to help better cover the load

That would be salesman talk. Physically moving sectors isn't a spur of the moment thing and in reality isn't even a thing at all. Maybe CoW's or expand capacity on existing sites, but I'd bet $73 they ain't "moving sectors".

 

[12dbsinad]

Oh boy, I'm SOOO ready for this!! Got the Baofeng's all charged up!! Yellow lights on the Ford Escort are all working!! Check!!

 

[WB5UOM]

I washed my YELLOW vest

 

[KK4JUG]

I'll get ready on the 8th...with my favorite rocking chair, a cup of coffee and a Don Rafael cigar while I sit on the deck. I have my aluminum foil hat in case aliens try to take advantage of the eclipse to whisk me away.

 

[brcoz]

I knew somebody who made a lot of money rewriting routines because of that. I forget what language it was, but it was obsolete for the most part and they brought him back from retirement to fix the problem. Which turned out not to be a problem. He still cashed the check.

Cobol

 

[kv5e]

COmmon Business Oriented Language - COBOL

Glimmer of hope in the WX for NTX, looks like a band of cirruform couds at solar noon which near eclipse time. Statocu may erode near that time as well so some viewing may prevail.

2017 - drove through heavy fog in the morning through the Platte Valley on US83, still very foggy until 1000 am. There was a pronounced cirrus streak that moved out of the way about 20 minutes before C2.

No risk no reward........

 

[kv5e]

 

[Project25_MASTR]

That would be salesman talk. Physically moving sectors isn't a spur of the moment thing and in reality isn't even a thing at all. Maybe CoW's or expand capacity on existing sites, but I'd bet $73 they ain't "moving sectors".

I'm well aware. Plus IFF they actually did that it would also take coverage away from current coverage areas. They were unwilling to expand capacity and were also unwilling to provide any CoWs. Granted, the EMC was working through Verizon/Frontline as that's what most of the county services run though me and a few of the other city services actually run on FirstNet. At the end of the day...the cellular side of it is not my circus nor my monkeys.