Title: Blackout gives cell phones a black eye - CNET
Headings: Blackout gives cell phones a black eye
Blackout gives cell phones a black eye
Content: The first was after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when damage to the cell phone antennas on the World Trade Center towers and heavy traffic brought wireless dialing to a standstill. Thursday's blackout caused a similar surge in cell phone calls, creating about four times the usual traffic in the area, according to Verizon Wireless. IDC analyst Keith Waryas believes America's 146 million wireless subscribers will continue to have problems getting calls through during emergency times, although he believes the 2003 blackout will force carriers to better arm their networks against electricity failures. "These kinds of lessons are pointing to one thing: We expect our cell phones to always be on," he said. " This is a learning curve." Since Thursday, many wireless subscribers in the Northeast have returned to the landline telephones they've increasingly given up in favor of cell phones. Verizon Communications, a part-owner of Verizon Wireless, said Friday that use of landlines was 300 percent above normal levels following the blackout. Traditional lines continued working, because phone companies have added back-up power throughout their systems, which also send electrical current to phones. The six leading U.S. cellular companies were still working to return to full capacity on Friday, in the face of ongoing problems.