Telecom Outages From "Frankenstorm" Could Number in Millions

If the dreaded “Frankenstorm” strikes for the United States’ east coast next week as predicted , it could wreak significant havoc on the area’s telecommunications networks. The heavy rains, strong winds, and coastal flooding will likely damage network infrastructure, particularly power supplies. Felled power lines and flooded back-up generators could put some equipment out of commission for hours to days, disconnecting customers from phone, Internet, and emergency services. Outages could number in the millions, says Alexis Kwasinski , an engineering professor at the University of Texas at Austin, who has been tracking network damage from major natural disasters since 2005. Outages from Hurricane Irene , which hit the east coast last year, tallied far fewer. Most outages, if they do occur, will likely happen at the networks’ edges—at cellular base stations and local wirelin...

Full article: http://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/telecom/wireless/telec...

Tweets

@Hfuhs » 27 Oct '12, 12pm
Telecom Outages From "Frankenstorm" Could Number in Millions - [link] Be prepared! Buy smoke sign kits and drum sets!
@xvdr » 27 Oct '12, 12am
Telecom Outages From "Frankenstorm" Could Number in Millions [link] #tech #science
@IEEEGreen » 27 Oct '12, 12am
Telecom Outages From "Frankenstorm" Could Number in Millions [link] #IEEE #IEEEGreen
@MyDummyrss » 27 Oct '12, 12am
Telecom Outages From "Frankenstorm" Could Number in Millions: Local network links are most vulnerable to prolong... [link]
@EDANews » 27 Oct '12, 12am
Telecom Outages From "Frankenstorm" Could Number in Millions [link]
@nsashi » 27 Oct '12, 12am
Telecom Outages From "Frankenstorm" Could Number in Millions: Local network links are most vulnerable to prolong... [link]
@electrosoftinc » 27 Oct '12, 12am
Telecom Outages From "Frankenstorm" Could Number in Millions [link]
@nsisongeffiong » 27 Oct '12, 12am
Telecom Outages From "Frankenstorm" Could Number in Millions [link]
@wkenneth » 27 Oct '12, 12am
Telecom Outages From "Frankenstorm" Could Number in Millions: Local network links are most vulnerable to prolong... [link]