Cell phones failed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The Red Herringreports that people have been unable to use regular phones and cell phones in hard hit areas like New Orleans. They also report that the cell phone providers can not even get into the area to determine the extent of the damage.
Those trapped in the water-logged city of New Orleans found it harder to call for help Wednesday with phone lines down and cell service failing in the aftermath of the monster hurricane Katrina.
Cingular, Verizon Wireless, and Sprint, the country’s three largest wireless carriers, said cellular service was severely affected in the Big Easy, and that they’re unable to even enter the city to assess the full extent of the damage.
The lack of communications is complicating the already difficult task of trying to save storm victims. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, when asked about the number of fatalities he expected in his city, said: "Minimum hundreds. Most likely, thousands." There've been numerous tales of residents trapped in the attics of their homes or other places until they were found by rescuers.
The wireless companies would not estimate how long service would be down in inaccessible areas, saying only that the timeframe would depend on conditions. For the most part, emergency workers were restricted to using their two-way radios.
