On New Years after the ball dropped, I tried calling my parents (I was in CT, they were in NY). We both have Sprint, but I kept getting the all Circuits were busy message for over an hour. I must have tried getting through at least 100x. I even used my gf's Verizon phone and a friends T-Mobile phone with no luck either.

I also remember after 9/11, my cell phone was pretty much useless. It appears that all of these networks are under built. Is it true? Why don't they build a little more extra capacity to allow for surges and emergencies? I think it's more important that Cell phones are now a really important part of many people's lives.

[RANT] I think there are too many services available these days. At my apartment I can get: Sprint, Verizon, Nextel, T-Mobile, Cingular, and AT&T. Almost each of these has to build their own network. I wish there were less services. They would probably have more $$ to make capital investments in their capacity and networks. I'd even be willing to pay more per month for that to happen. It's a pain because some people need one service because it's good in one area, but then bad in others. None around here in Northern CT are close to what I'd call great.[/RANT]

 

You make good points.

There's a think called a COW. It's cellular on wheels. Carriers use them to boost the capacity in certain hot spots during critical times....like at a football game or a concert. This is a picture of a COW at the Chiefs game.



I'm not sure if it makes sense to permanently build up the capacity in one specific area just to handle overcapacity that happens once or twice a year. Everyone's networks are constrained based on the laws of physics so it is simply impossible for everyone to all make a call all at the same time. Fotis would be able to better comment here, he's all into this network stuff. Carriers monitor cell usage and patterns and if there is a chronic problem, it gets addressed.

But you are right, ultimately it's based on financial resources and time. It takes a lot of money and a fair amount of time to make things better. Sprint and a few others built the entire nationwide network from scratch from the ground up, but companies like Verizon who've had things going for nearly 20 years really have no excuse.

As for network consolidation, a fair amount of that has already happened...and still is. Word is Cingular and ATT will merge. T-Mobile is likely part of some deal, too. But as soon as there is less competition, other things like pricing and handset availablility start to suffer. Have to find a healthy balance.

 

Does China have just one big ass CDMA carrier?

 

China

 

i was getting that message with sprint ALOT during the holiday season in shopping areas and such...

2 days before christmas i was at the mall and unable to make a successful call the entire day.

my friend who was with me and on Nextel was having similar problems tho..

 

I was under the impression the China had just one CDMA carrier.