Cell reception and iPhones this year???

[Homiesinheaven]

last year there was reception and with the theme this year being Metropolis i'm wondering if this is going to expand (shudder). i heard of some playa Apps last year and figure that's only grown this year:

http://radar.oreilly.com/2009/08/burnin ... and-a.html

does anyone have any 2010 info on this?

[Simon of the Playa]

i called reed from the porta-potties...

he had A.T. & T also.


it was so wrong.


but i had to do it.

[shroom]

I got this app. I love having burning man pics available at all times.

http://silentcolor.com/projects/burningman2008/

It also has a list of thing to take. Pretty neat. The pics are great!

[Kinetik V]

I hope the equipment to provide cell coverage gets forgotten or gets annihilated in a playa dust storm. If they keep providing reliable cell phone coverage it's only a matter of time till someone hauls an old TV transmitter out there...that's the last thing we need.

The Black Rock Desert should stay a klystron free zone and the same goes for supercows. Don't need no stinking super cell on wheels sites hauled up 447.

[Bounce530]

I got a text message from somebody saying to activate a 'on playa only cell service' how it worked IDK, how they got my number IDK...

[motskyroonmatick]

I got at least 4 of those texts before my battery went dead. It was a limited range texting service and a trial of sorts set up by some first time burners. The idea was to test to see if short range texting services could be set up and function to provide a service for the citizens of BRC and as a test to see if it would be useful for disaster sites and refugee camp management communication. I kind of regret that I did not become part of it. Where I was at there was no ATT signal at all but at least one other person's cellphone worked in camp off a different carrier.

[Simon of the Playa]

i had 4 bars all week, even from the porta-potties.

i missed the burn, i was too busy checking my mobile facebook.

[Playa Foot]

I understand that this year the Man shall be on top of a cell phone tower.

[Captain Goddammit]

Now you're talkin'!

[capjbadger]

Rumor has it that the cell tower from last year was not profitable from the Co that put it there and thus it will not return.

-Badger

[Ugly Dougly]

Money talks.

[Elliot]

Rumor has it that the cell tower from last year was not profitable from the Co that put it there and thus it will not return. -Badger

Sure hope that rumor is true!

[motskyroonmatick]

http://www.npdu.org/index.php/2010/03/30/phones-at-burning-man-can-you-hear-me-now/

Here is an article that is mostly about the commercial tower that was put up at Frog Pond and touches on the Theme Camp at burning man that offered texting and apparently limited voice.

[chris2010]

i had 4 bars all week, even from the porta-potties.

i missed the burn, i was too busy checking my mobile facebook.

Got to have 4 bars in there!

[AntiM]

We did have Verizon voice on the playa. The only reason we knew was Larry was keeping in touch about his sister going into emergency surgery. Turns out it was ovarian cancer; she died in March. So it was a needful, but unexpected, service for us.

[akmojo]

I have an Iphone and use AT&T and was able to both txt and call...
my bacon pizza never did get delivered though !!!

[Shambala]

AntiM, my condolences to Larry. I'm very sorry to hear about his loss.

I had 4 bars on my phone for most of the week, but was not able to actually get a call out. They seemed to be going, but the line just hung there. I felt that cell service on the playa would change the event forever and as much as I was unhappy with the idea of service on the playa, I was out in the street a few times trying to make a call.

Like in every shopping mall where you see half the people either on the phone, or frantically texting, I was worried that this is what the playa would turn into. Social connections are only done in the default world with people who are your "friends" and real humans around you are ignored.
It would be a good thing if cell service stays off the playa, but possibly have a small area near center camp where emergency calls could be made.

[AntiM]

I'd rather not see service, but if there was one sweet spot, that would be a good thing to know. A cell phone ghetto.

Larry uses Verizon because he makes calls from odd places in his truck, that red map in the advertisements serves him well. He get reception in areas where the drivers using other services can't connect.

[Simon of the Playa]

A cell phone ghetto.

too perfect.

[Fire_Moose]

Mine will be off all weekend so that i have it for the trip home. I know my roots.

[theCryptofishist]

A cell phone ghetto.

too perfect.

I read that as "cell phone grotto." Which sounded peaceful and lovely.

[Elliot]

A cell phone ghetto.

Do airports still have a glass room for smokers to feed their addiction?

Freedom from the tyranny of cell phones is one of the main attractions of BRC.

[Ugly Dougly]

The Will Call/Greeters area had the best reception last year. It was out of the range of the jammers in Center Camp.

[Elliot]

Ooooo! I want a jammer!

[Shambala]

We be jammin'!

[Homiesinheaven]

http://www.npdu.org/index.php/2010/03/30/phones-at-burning-man-can-you-hear-me-now/

Here is an article that is mostly about the commercial tower that was put up at Frog Pond and touches on the Theme Camp at burning man that offered texting and apparently limited voice.

that's some good info but what are the sources? seems like a mishmash of hearsay. where does it come from and who is dave simon?

[Elliot]

This issue really steams me up. Let me give you an example of why:

I was in the bank, standing in line, and there were three tellers working. That is, they were supposed to be working. But all three customers were jabbering on cell phones, keeping the tellers twiddling their thumbs.
"My kingdom for a pocket-size jammer!"

[Bounce530]

Your kingdom please-

http://www.instructables.com/id/Modifyi ... ne-Jammer/

[Elliot]

Believe me, you do not really want my "kingdom"!

I see that this gadget is so illegal that the fine starts at USD11.000,-. And since it transmits a signal, it can be found.

Also, if radar detectors are anything to go by (radar detectors -- detector detectors -- detector detector detectors), pretty soon there will be $29.99 cell phone jammer detectors, and then $19.95 jammer jammers. I think I'll stay off that merry-go-round.

I'll just carry a hammer and an anvil around, and smash the !#$%^&*! things to smithereens.

[motskyroonmatick]

http://www.npdu.org/index.php/2010/03/30/phones-at-burning-man-can-you-hear-me-now/

Here is an article that is mostly about the commercial tower that was put up at Frog Pond and touches on the Theme Camp at burning man that offered texting and apparently limited voice.

that's some good info but what are the sources? seems like a mishmash of hearsay. where does it come from and who is dave simon?

http://openbts.sourceforge.net/

http://openbts.sourceforge.net/FieldTest2/

I have no idea who Dave Simon is but here are some links relating to OpenBTS and the Theme Camp that provided limited cell services.