Ann,
I understand that.
However, practically, what would be a better solution?
Maybe setting a multiline automated system with a prerecorded message
informing about the outage status? But that might be impractical,
especially if it is a relatively small town with limited resources.
But maybe they have something like that?
I know that in our town (and the fact that there are several Title I
schools here is probably a good indicator of the social spread), -
the city has an outage reporting phone, where, during the outages some
(albeit rather limited) information is also provided.
On another hand, if you have a choice: to give information to some people
who might be able to have access to it (from home, cell phone, neighbors,
coffee shop, workplace) or to provide it to nobody, what would you choose?
In my opinion, it is better to benefit _some_ people then none at all.
Besides, the ubiquity of the web-based public information and services is
also pushing the idea that broadband internet (in various forms) should
become universally available even in the most rural areas, - in a way that
Communication Act of 1934 (and "Universal Service" principle) brought the
phone everywhere in the US.
As for the discrimination aspect that you pointed out, I think focusing on
the culprits is more important than fuming about the symptoms.
Igor
ann sanfedele Thu, 06 Oct 2016 19:46:24 -0700 wrote:
Igor -
"Quite some people" in North Carolina don't have cell phones , or
computers - even here, some people don't have either - but they have a
telephone
Calling landlines and telling people to check a website isannoying enough
, but the amount of information these days that seems only to be available
with web access is just another form of discrimination...
ann
On 10/6/2016 10:05 PM, Igor PDML-StR wrote:
> John,
While I understand your thoughts (and sarcasm), I would like to point out
that quite some people use their cell phones to access a web site.
I was checking the outage extent from my cell when we lost the power
(happened 2-3 times in a row last year).
Besides, depending on the extent of the outage, internet might still be
working for some time after it. If, say, the outage is limited to your
subdivision, the modem is supposed to have a battery in it, and so does the
pole/cable equipment. Then it would depend how well the ISP maintains those
batteries; it varies.
And as far the personal computer equipment goes, - people often have routers
on a UPS, and some folks even have their own backup power generators.
Igor
John Thu, 06 Oct 2016 18:40:58 -0700 wrote:
So I thought I'd share.
I just got a robo-call from my electric utility to warn me there might
be a "storm" in this area in the next few days, and that I should
consider in advance what to do if the power goes off.
One of the things they suggested was that if it DOES go off, I should
consult their web site to find out the extent of the outage. I'll make
sure to check, JUST AS SOON AS THE POWER COMES BACK ON!
Sometimes all you can do is laugh & cry at the same time.
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