Cell Phone coverage

[Igneouss]

Every year cell phone coverage seems to improve.
Anyone got a handle on what to expect this year?
TIA

Igneouss

[junglesmacks]

Using what, a crystal ball?

[jkisha]

Using what, a crystal ball?

[some seeing eye]

One year a temporary cell site was set up by a commercial operator (ATT?) at I believe Frog Pond. In subsequent years, there has been an open source cell site set up by participants. It's mainly designed for text messaging, and may not be working at any given moment.

[jkisha]

Last year both Verizon and AT&T worked out there.

[portaplaya]

Last year both Verizon and AT&T worked out there.

That was because the temporary cell tower at Frog Pond was up again last year.

Here is Burning Man's word on cell phones: http://www.burningman.com/press/faq.html#cell_phone
And here is a whole frickin' Cnet article on the installation of cell towers for the event (from post-playa 2009): http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10348913-245.html

[Shambala]

At one point last year I was able see a few bars on my phone, but was never able to do any communications of any kind. I spent the better part of my week walking around with a prop to the side of my head, repeating over and over, "CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW"!

[Homiesinheaven]

seems like it will be somewhat more accessible:

http://papalegba2011.wikispaces.com/FAQ

but it also sounds like a pain in the ass and with tickets being sold out (a.k.a. most crowded year ever) the douches that insist on being on cell phones will cluster fuck themselves silly.

[OregonRed]

I know I'm going to sound like a jaded, old Burner when I say this but, FUCK YOUR CELL PHONE! Lock the goddamn thing in your glove box and forget about it until you're off playa. You don't need it out there. If there is an emergency situation, the Rangers can get in contact with the outside world.

My first Burn was 2001. My daughters were ages 7 and 8 and they stayed with their dads during that week. Dads both had emergency contact information (available here http://www.burningman.com/preparation/event_survival/emergency_contact.html), my address on playa, my parents' number, and all the resources they had available to them everyday. There was absolutely no cellular service from Tulelake, CA to the playa (about five and a half hours driving time), and I wasn't out of "roaming" territory until Klamath Falls, OR. That's just how it was. And everything was just fine.

In 2009, the first year we had cell service on playa, I took my oldest daughter (16) to Burning Man for the first time. During the wee hours of Friday morning, my daughter received a text message from her boyfriend that he had been cheating on her and he didn't want to see her anymore. This was, needless to say, devastating to her, and she spent the better part of Friday trying to drink enough water to make up for what she was losing by crying. She failed and we got to take a trip to Center Camp Medical on Saturday morning so that she could be rehydrated.

I turn my cell phone off when we leave Alturas, CA on our way to TTITD and I don't turn it back on until we come back thru Alturas. And my Burn has always been better for it.

[SnowBlind]

Yeah, what OregonRed said!

I consider no reception a feature of Burning Man, not a bug.

[Roberto Dobbisano]

i secretly text and do my facebook updates from the porta potties....not only is it private, but for some reason, like those pyramids that keep razor blades sharp forever, i actually get better reception...try the ones near 10 and C.

ive just checked in to the third Blue jots facing west.


Like.

[Igneouss]

Trust me. I whish I could ditch my phone. I did lsat time. Unfortunately, I am now executor of my parent's estate. Stuff is happening. I am not willing to stay home rather than use a cell phone at BM. Plan is to turn it on once or twice a day in the privacy of my camp so I can receive, and respond to, messages. Like many burners, default life can't be suspended entirely during BM.

*shrug*

[portaplaya]

I know I'm going to sound like a jaded, old Burner when I say this but, FUCK YOUR CELL PHONE

That's why I included the BM link. It points out that many people have your point of view, so please go hide in a tent if you must use your cell phone.

[portaplaya]

In 2009, the first year we had cell service on playa, I took my oldest daughter (16) to Burning Man for the first time. During the wee hours of Friday morning, my daughter received a text message from her boyfriend that he had been cheating on her and he didn't want to see her anymore. This was, needless to say, devastating to her, and she spent the better part of Friday trying to drink enough water to make up for what she was losing by crying. She failed and we got to take a trip to Center Camp Medical on Saturday morning so that she could be rehydrated.

I can't tell if this is a cautionary anecdote about:
Don't bring a cell phone.
Don't bring your daughters to BM.
Don't date crappy boyfriends.
Don't forget to drink water.

Because all of the bad things in this story could have easily happened within camp without any cell phone present.

[Bay Bridge Sue]

It sucks that with the new job I have to have a (deleted) leash... I did the sat phone last year, and it cost me more than it was worth. So I'll have it, but... If it connects, fine, if not, well, they shoulda given me a satphone, damnit!

(Anyway, just because I have it doesn't mean I'll be in a spot where I get coverage... right?? heh heh heh)

[trilobyte]

I've been going since 2004, and never had a single problem with reception. Once you turn off I-80, power the phone completely off and stick it in the glove box.

I know it may seem preposterous, or even crazy, to disconnect from the outside world (like most people used to do when they went on vacations up until the 90's), but give it a try, it's refreshing. As others have mentioned, if there's an emergency and you need to be reached from the outside world, the rangers can find you.

[pizzamancer]

FUCK YOUR CELL PHONE!

This. I saw some asshole in center camp in 2009 jabbering on his phone. I should have smashed it. If you really need one out there, keep it in your tent.

[Bay Bridge Sue]

Oooh, violence!!! How... burnerish. Makes me yearn for the old DPW!!!

[Igneouss]

Oooh, violence!!! How... burnerish. Makes me yearn for the old DPW!!!

Disgruntled postal workers any day.

[Mr.Coffee]

I'm going to keep my phone off for the event, but in a ziplock in my tent. I'd recommend against tossing it in the glovebox, it might get too hot in there and kill the battery. What have your respective mileages been like on that front?

[shroom]

FUCK YOUR CELL PHONE!

It was so nice to see that I could survive a week without my cellphone. I put it away when I set up camp and I didn't die. Amazing!

[Bob]

Oooh, violence!!! How... burnerish. Makes me yearn for the old DPW!!!

The old DPW doesn't care.

Nice that you can get AT&T now, much better coverage than Frisco.

[Token]

Burnier than thou be damned to sparkle pony hell, if you want reliable cell service on Playa during BM, a nice 3-5W GSM amplifier and 11dBi antenna do the trick very well.

Works great the duration of the event cuz the stronger signal doesn't get rejected and dropped by the tower. You basically muscle your way in and bump someone else out. Aint that a bitch!

[jkisha]

I know I'm going to sound like a jaded, old Burner when I say this but, FUCK YOUR CELL PHONE! Lock the goddamn thing in your glove box and forget about it until you're off playa. You don't need it out there. If there is an emergency situation, the Rangers can get in contact with the outside world.

[/color]

Excuse me young lady, but WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU TO TELL ANYONE WHAT THEY DO OR DO NOT NEED OUT THERE?!

[Bob]

Ranger don't care either. Ranger don't give a shit.

[Mr.Coffee]

I like turtles!

[jkisha]

This. I saw some asshole in center camp in 2009 jabbering on his phone. I should have smashed it. If you really need one out there, keep it in your tent.

I wonder who the asshole is in this story? But I think their initials are pizzamancer.

[shroom]

I like turtles!

[pizzamancer]

I wonder who the asshole is in this story? But I think their initials are pizzamancer.

That time of the month jk?

[MyDearFriend]

Bwahahaha, y'all can just STFU now about all this cell phone reception you are getting on the playa, I have told everyone that there is NO reception and they will just have to get along without me for a week!

Though I will try to send a text to my Dear Husband at some point, just so he can tell my Dear Mother that he heard from me & I'm okay...