Do Cingular's GSM sites have back-up power?

We had a power outage in my city today, from around 3:00-5:30 p.m. During
that time my Cingular GSM phone displayed "Other Network" (presumably
T-Mobile). As soon as the power came back on, the network went back to
Cingular. This seems to indicate that T-Mobile has battery back-up on their
cells, but that Cingular does not.

---

› See More: Do Cingular's GSM sites have back-up power?

I really doubt that many cell cites have any kind of back up. Here NC
there are several cites that I can see and they have no alternate power.

But, when a really big outage accures, you find out what the critical
are, because you see the portable generators show up at them.

Generator backup is expensive, and cost a lot to maitain. Our Ham club
has donated tower space, and the tower, becuase it has emergency power,
we have it

Cellular Telephones are a convience at best. In an emergency, quite
often will go down, down, down. (From experience)

Chip

Steven M. Scharf wrote:
> We had a power outage in my city today, from around 3:00-5:30 p.m. During
> that time my Cingular GSM phone displayed "Other Network" (presumably
> T-Mobile). As soon as the power came back on, the network went back to
> Cingular. This seems to indicate that T-Mobile has battery back-up on their
> cells, but that Cingular does not.
>
>

"Ralph Blach" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I really doubt that many cell cites have any kind of back up. Here NC
> there are several cites that I can see and they have no alternate power.
>
> But, when a really big outage accures, you find out what the critical
> are, because you see the portable generators show up at them.
>
> Generator backup is expensive, and cost a lot to maitain. Our Ham club
> has donated tower space, and the tower, becuase it has emergency power,
> we have it
>
> Cellular Telephones are a convience at best. In an emergency, quite
> often will go down, down, down. (From experience)

My AT&T TDMA and Verizon CDMA phones still worked fine. And the GSM phone
worked too, just not on Cingular. I wouldn't expect a generator at a cell
site, but I would expect a UPS that could keep it running for at least a
couple of hours. Even during long outages, my Verizon phone would work, but
this may be because it's CDMA, and the range is greater than GSM, so it may
have picked up a cell site outside the outage area.

On Thu, 26 May 2005 02:23:54 GMT, "Steven M. Scharf"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>We had a power outage in my city today, from around 3:00-5:30 p.m. During
>that time my Cingular GSM phone displayed "Other Network" (presumably
>T-Mobile). As soon as the power came back on, the network went back to
>Cingular. This seems to indicate that T-Mobile has battery back-up on their
>cells, but that Cingular does not.

The old ATTWS (Cingular 'blue') towers did. But, that was then, and this is
now.



--
John Bartley K7AAY 503.326.2231...147
telecom syadmin, USBC-Oregon, Portland - Views are mine.
http://palmwireless.cjb.net Wireless FAQ for PalmOS(r)
Dilbert is a documentary.

Cell service is not "lifeline" service. It is not required to be available
during a power outage. Unlike your land line.

Don
"Steven M. Scharf" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> We had a power outage in my city today, from around 3:00-5:30 p.m. During
> that time my Cingular GSM phone displayed "Other Network" (presumably
> T-Mobile). As soon as the power came back on, the network went back to
> Cingular. This seems to indicate that T-Mobile has battery back-up on
> their
> cells, but that Cingular does not.
>
>

"Don Udel (ETC)" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Cell service is not "lifeline" service. It is not required to be
> available during a power outage. Unlike your land line.
>
> Don
> "Steven M. Scharf" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> We had a power outage in my city today, from around 3:00-5:30 p.m. During
>> that time my Cingular GSM phone displayed "Other Network" (presumably
>> T-Mobile). As soon as the power came back on, the network went back to
>> Cingular. This seems to indicate that T-Mobile has battery back-up on
>> their
>> cells, but that Cingular does not.
>>
I can speak for one cell site in AR, they have a generator at this one
because I've been to the site when the generator was "excersing". It does
not lose power during power failures, this I know because the county
sheriff has a repeater on the tower, that I maintain, and they call me at
every power outage to report the repeater out of service.


bamp

Cingular GSM Cell towers do not have back up power.


-Cingular Wireless

fusion wrote:
> Cingular GSM Cell towers do not have back up power.
>
>
> -Cingular Wireless
>
>


I don't think that's an accurate characterization of the situation. All
cellular providers use a rating system to determine where they allocate
their resources. Some sites have permanent generators w/auto-start,
some have a place for a portable generator to plug in to, some have only
batteries, still others have nothing. It depends on how critical the
site is to overall service. Sites with permanent generators are often
not just a cell site, but also a major microwave hub location - and the
additional M/W antennas should be obvious.

--
jer
email reply - I am not a 'ten'

There was a underground fiber that got cut recently, knocked out Cingular,
Sprint & the Verizon land line. Whether they have backup or not can still be
knocked out.
"Steven M. Scharf" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> We had a power outage in my city today, from around 3:00-5:30 p.m. During
> that time my Cingular GSM phone displayed "Other Network" (presumably
> T-Mobile). As soon as the power came back on, the network went back to
> Cingular. This seems to indicate that T-Mobile has battery back-up on
> their
> cells, but that Cingular does not.
>
>

Jer,

An excellent description of the statement of problem. Some do, some
dont. I know in NC, we had a power outage, and my Cingular cell service
went up and down with the power.


There is a special tower close to me that must be critical. whenever
the power goes out for more than a day, an emergency generator shows up.

The correct answer is, some do, some dont and some will have emergency
power if the outage last long enough.

Most of the ham repeaters have battery backup, though. Our club
repeater is on critial power circuit, and is backup.

Chip

Jer wrote:
> fusion wrote:
>
>> Cingular GSM Cell towers do not have back up power.
>>
>>
>> -Cingular Wireless
>>
>>
>
>
> I don't think that's an accurate characterization of the situation. All
> cellular providers use a rating system to determine where they allocate
> their resources. Some sites have permanent generators w/auto-start,
> some have a place for a portable generator to plug in to, some have only
> batteries, still others have nothing. It depends on how critical the
> site is to overall service. Sites with permanent generators are often
> not just a cell site, but also a major microwave hub location - and the
> additional M/W antennas should be obvious.
>

"fusion" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Cingular GSM Cell towers do not have back up power.
>
>
> -Cingular Wireless
>
>
> --
> fusion
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Cell Phone Forums: http://cellphoneforums.net
> View this thread: http://cellphoneforums.net/t176655.html

The one I mentioned does!

bamp

I am NOT disputing you. I am SURE the site you work on does. Where I
live in NC, most do not. Maintaining battery backup and generators are
expensive. Which Cell cites have backups would be determined by how
critical they are.



bamp wrote:
> "fusion" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>Cingular GSM Cell towers do not have back up power.
>>
>>
>>-Cingular Wireless
>>
>>
>>--
>>fusion
>>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>Cell Phone Forums: http://cellphoneforums.net
>>View this thread: http://cellphoneforums.net/t176655.html
>
>
> The one I mentioned does!
>
> bamp
>
>

"Ralph Blach" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I am NOT disputing you. I am SURE the site you work on does. Where I live
>in NC, most do not. Maintaining battery backup and generators are
>expensive. Which Cell cites have backups would be determined by how
>critical they are.
Chip,

I'm not trying to start a rukus, but "fusion" said flat out that "Cingular
GSM cell towers do not have backup power".

That's who I was talking to and the post got knocked down a couple of
notches. See below.

bamp
>
>
> bamp wrote:
>> "fusion" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>
>>>Cingular GSM Cell towers do not have back up power.
>>>
>>>
>>>-Cingular Wireless
>>>
>>>
>>>--
>>>fusion
>>>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>Cell Phone Forums: http://cellphoneforums.net
>>>View this thread: http://cellphoneforums.net/t176655.html
>>
>>
>> The one I mentioned does!
>>
>> bamp