Question: access to internet via phone during power outage

[left-of-center2012]

High winds a couple days ago caused a power outage to 25,000 people in Albuquerque, N.M.
My Wi-Fi modem shut down and I had not internet access via my laptop.

However I was able to access the internet via my cheap Motorola cell phone with no difficulty,
and could surf the ‘net’ with no loss of internet strength.

Others on a local forum have posted that they could not access the internet on their phones
and some were able experienced a very slow connection.

I suspect the differences may be some setting on my phone which I have turned on and they do not ~ but I don’t know what.

Any ideas or input ?
Thanks

[MerryHolidays]

1. There may be a fairly simple answer

Your Motorola cell phone may use a different carrier than the other people? In other words, the carrier that your phone uses didn't have an internet outage, whereas the other people you mention are using a different carrier that did.

I know it's overly simple, but it's worth a guess.

[hlthe2b]

2. Yes. This. I suspect some cell towers were rendered dysfunctional due to the power outage

affecting some carriers but not others. FCC requires cell towers to have battery backup in emergencies, but that is usually not effective for more than 2-4 hours.

[left-of-center2012]

3. "a different carrier" ?

I have Consumer Cellular for my phone service, which uses AT&T and T-Mobile towers,
which I think should be fairly common.

[TexLaProgressive]

4. The cell network is fairly complex.

1. Each carrier has their own network.
2. Each tower is connected to a backbone via microwave or firmer optic cable.
3. Each tower is suppose to have back up power - batteries and generators.
In a power outage, various links in the network can go down because of a failure of backup power. Those who were unable to access the internet on their phones may be served by a different carrier or tower that failed. Slow speeds could be a massive demand for phone data services because the loss of home and business access.

This image only has two towers and one switching center. Multiply that by many towers for ATT, VZ and whatever that other carriers is with their many switching centers. Those Centers will be connected to internet backbones and other carriers including landlines (yes, they still exist).

So in this diagram, suppose you are caller 1. Your tower’s generator and battery are fine as is the switching center and the backbone connection. You have voice and data. Caller 2’s tower has a faulty generator. There is not connection between the tower and phone or to the switching center.

The other possibility on tower 2 is that every one served by that tower is trying to access data over coming the capacity. This results in slow speeds.

If this is too much information, sorry, can’t help myself. I am a retired telecommunications technician.

[raging moderate]

6. Thank you, great info! What's a "backbone," actually?

I mean, what is the mechanism which you have called a "backbone" in this response? The picture diagram is so helpful, by the way. And so is the explanation that Caller 2 could have a faulty generator, and that there are many such switching centers and connectors.

[TexLaProgressive]

7. I'm going to cheat and post a definition I found online

Mostly because it is out of my area of expertise. I know what it is, but not deeply. We just handed off to some nebulous thing and hoped they didn’t do something stupid causing a wide spread outage. Being local, we are the ones that get “slapped” by the people.

An Internet backbone refers to one of the principal data routes between large, strategically interconnected networks and core routers on the Internet. Major cloud providers are connected to the internet backbone to be able to offer you as a customer Infrastructure as Service.

https://www.intricately.com/glossary/internet-backbone

[gab13by13]

5. Here is what I have done,

Just for power outages I have set up my electric provider on an App on my cell phone. The first thing I do during a power outage is get a flashlight and get my phone where I find my App to report my power outage. I don't have to look for my account number or put in my address I just find my App that is already set up. I can also check from the App estimated down time and the scope of the outage, how many others have been affected.

You don't even need an App, just copy your electric provider's log in to notes on your phone, then just go to Notes and log in. Just have a place to remind you of your user name and password. Lol, maybe it's just as easy to copy the power outage phone number and call it in.

[New Haven]

9. this is great advice----thank you

utility companies react to many calls ----so making a phone circle that calls in from your location gets their attention ----Facebook posts work well too

[New Haven]

8. using the personal hotspot wifi feature on my cellphone

I am able to connect my battery powered laptop at home to my phone's wifi signal . I have several battery packs that keep the phone charged if the power is off for more than 4 hours. I also do this while tent camping when there is no power but yet a wifi signal. If your cell phone does not have this feature you could connect to someone's else's phone that does.

I decided to upgrade all of my technology for tent camping "off the grid"

I now have portable solar panels ----brand Goal Zero --to recharge the battery packs

I replaced my old/tired Dell laptop with a new LG "Gram" laptop that weighs less than 3 pounds and easily connects to my cell phone.

The campgrounds cost about $20 per night so I don't really have a big lodging cost. I can easily afford the newer technology.

I must confess that I watch Youtube videos --Amazon----Netflix and get my email and do Zoom meetings with all of this on a fixed SS only income. You might also be able to "pool" the wifi signal through the "hotspot" feature.

My attitude is that communication is the most important part of my life and I create a budget that provides for the best technology. I do not have cable TV for over 15 years now. I got rid of my land line also 10 years ago. Some people ask me "Where do you get your news if you don't have cable TV" ? I ask them where do the 'NOT GET" theirs when they are captive to whatever a "program manager decides to put on cable tv. I have "boots on the ground" reporters at ----https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/ukraine-russia-crisis/

I have over 50 different news websites bookmarked on my laptop----Google Chrome browser" I also use Facebook messenger instead of my phone to call around to my children in London, New York and Charleston. If I ever have to go to assisted living the wifi signal will be the first consideration , but I always plan to have the Iphone. and Ipad as a backup to the laptop.

not sure if this will help but I found this review for you
http://www.cellreception.com/coverage/nm/albuquerque/page1.html
Albuquerque, NM Carrier Reviews & Coverage Maps ; 1. T-Mobile 2.3 star rating (2.3 stars | 52 Reviews) ; 2. Verizon 2 star rating (2 stars | 96 Reviews) ; 3.

I am extremely grateful for the people on DU who usually have a pretty good take on current happenings

[Ron Obvious]

10. My WiFi router is connected to a UPS

Which will provide instant backup power for about 8 hours (other devices are connected as well).

It seems to be the most straightforward solution to me. I don't do internet on my phone.

[multigraincracker]

11. Here is the simple, like me, Multigrain method.

When cable and cell go out, I go out in my car and look for a location that has lights, like stop lights and signs still on. I then find a McDonalds or coffee house, park in the lot and try their wifi. Has always worked for me. Pain in the ass, but it works.
good luck my friend.

[multigraincracker]

12. I forgot something else.

While driving around looking for that area, it gives me a chance to charge up my phone with my car charger. That is just extra.

[left-of-center2012]

13. None of these responses apply to my question