How useful were the landlines, payphones,on 9/11?

Mine is not very good anywhere outside of major population centers.

My husband’s got spotty when we were in rural Tennessee.

@marinelife How about dead spots in the middle of big cities.
Also, do you see articles about 9/11 & landlines on Google?

9/11 it became difficult to get through to my sister after the second plane it. I think the networks were just overloaded. Both cell and landline I had trouble for several hours. We were talking on landlines after the first plane hit, and when the second hit I hung up with her. When I tried to call back 10 minutes later I couldn’t reach her.

I barely have reception for cell at my house, but if I go out to the street it is ok. I am at the end of the range for the nearest transmitters.

Driving through Arkansas last weekend there were many dead spots. No signal, not even roaming.

Areas that are very hilly or mountainous have a lot of dead spots.

When I lived in Boca Raton, FL there was a dead area, it was surprising considering the density of the population. Finally a site was put up (a friend of mine built it) and the area now has a signal.

I don’t think I have ever had trouble getting a signal in most major cities though. In rural areas there might be a short time without, when traveling across country for instance, but shortly a signal is picked back up.

@marinelife
@JLeslie
How much worse would 9/11 have been if there were no landline phone at all?
Here is the closest article but do you see anything else that addresses it more specifically?

I’m flagging my question to edit 911 into 9/11

I don’t know if we can say 9/11 would have been worse without landlines? But, I do think it is a good idea to keep them around. Having landlines and cell sites in NYC has nothing to do with areas with no cell signal in other parts of the country, because of course we can communicate landline to cellphone. 9/11 did not have people calling from offices in the towers for help on landlines. People were dead or survived. Very very few injuries came to the hospitals, or through 911. People were able to call loved ones from the streets on their cell. But, that is only one crisis. At home, when an emergency occurs, landlines are certainly the most reliable way to call 911.

It would be nice if the landlines really started giving fair prices for usage. I don’t know how much profit they make, how much room there is for them to lower their price and still be profitable, but I think if it were very cheap they would retain more customers and make it up in volume. My husband wants me to cancel our landline, but my cell reception is awful in my house so I keep it, but I hate Comcast for charging so much, I can get it cheaper from multiple vendors, but then I have it bundled with other services, and I don’t have other comparable competition for my cable and Internet. Even so, I still think about canceling, because I resent the monopoly.

We disagree on your the first sentence. I don’t know if we can say 9/11 would have been worse without landlines?

I completely agree with your second paragragraph. How much do they charge by the way?

@flo not sure you can disagree with a question? My first sentence was a question.

I think I pay around $45 with fees and taxes for unlimited calling domestically. There is a service for $24.99 unlimited so maybe it comes out to $32 more or less.

Alright, re. My sentence was a question
$32.00 is too much. Do they only do landlaine?

@flo I am paying more like $45. I know it is too much. No competition for the bundled services, if I want cable, Internet and landline I am screwed. Free market is great as long as there is competition, but since there really isn’t any where I live they can gouge me for all they want practically.

@JLeslie I know, I meant even $32. is too much.

Did the cellphone towers not out of use on 9/11? That is the reason for the OP.