Cell towers. Anybody heard....

[Taz]

Does anybody know if they will have cell towers this year so we can use our cell phones on the playa?

[BBadger]

Yeah, AT&T, T-mobile, Sprint, Verizon, Cricket, and every other mobile phone network company are going to truck out cell-on-wheels, complete with generators and relay equipment, to a festival in the middle of a dried out lake in Nevada just so a couple of rubes can phone their buddies from the playa.

[International Incident]

There’s a really handy kiosk selling charge up cards in case you run out of minutes. So don’t forget your credit card.

[mgb327]

Nothing fine tunes your senses to what is happening around you like a cell-phone stuck to the side of your head....Green Jeebus, turn it off....

[lemur]

you silly people

the 'omg you use a cell phone?' ...'cell phones at burning man? i go to get away from them' stuff belongs in the DEAD HORSE thread.

[junglesmacks]

Dead horse still tastes great.

[some seeing eye]

Yes.

[Bob]

The AT&T service is better than in most of Frisco.

[Simon of the Playa]

i will be spending at least one day, cell phone in hand staring at it two thumbs a blazing, texting while walking, bumping into people and cursing them for getting in my way.


pretty much what i do every day, except this will be performance art....

[Ugly Dougly]

There is decent signal in BRC. Until all the hippies in the world show up and overload the system.

[Nipple]

Does anybody know if they will have cell towers this year so we can use our cell phones on the playa?

If that's your thing (and it isn't everybody's thing...) swing by Papa Legba camp. Last year they had two homegrown cellsites on the Playa with a functional Playa-only telephone network working.

[portaplaya]

Yeah, AT&T, T-mobile, Sprint, Verizon, Cricket, and every other mobile phone network company are going to truck out cell-on-wheels, complete with generators and relay equipment, to a festival in the middle of a dried out lake in Nevada just so a couple of rubes can phone their buddies from the playa.

Verizon and AT&T have had a temporary cell tower over by Frog Pond serving the playa during the past two events. So, yeah, your scenario is pretty accurate.

http://www.quora.com/Will-there-be-3G-p ... g-Man-2011


Note: No text service and no 3G/4G is expected, just basic call capability.

[Ugly Dougly]

Me listen, me hear, magic talking wire.

[portaplaya]

It's going to pretty much be like that when 60,000 people try to use 35 phone lines... or even 600 people.

[oscillator]

Hang up and Burn!

[daft]

Words with friends freaks can find me for scrabble

[portaplaya]

Words with friends freaks can find me for scrabble

Didn't I just say no text, no 3G/4G?

[danibel]

Even if there is a signal, my iPhone gets powered down and dropped into a zip lock when I leave Reno. It lives at the bottom of my hotel bag until I get back to Reno on the return trip. I don't use my cell at OCF or at the burn. I love being "unhooked" for a week.

There was a neighbor that had a satellite phone and he was offering calls home as gifts last year. I didn't take him up on it.

[portaplaya]

I'm out there three weeks while my wife stays home, so pre-event I'll probably make a call.

But I agree. The actual event week is a no-phone-week for me.

[Taz]

Will they work this year? Is there a way to make them work?

[BoyScoutGirl]

Is there a way to make them work?

Yes. Stay in Reno.

[ygmir]

perhaps, Taz, you can find your answers in the several threads dealing with this? there are answers aplenty, with some searching.

[some seeing eye]

Mr Ygmir notes

perhaps, Taz, you can find your answers in the several threads dealing with this? there are answers aplenty, with some searching.

IN THE THREAD YOU STARTED!!! A little ADD are we?

Just be sure you have the right STIM card:

[Rice]

I really hope that they never get decent coverage on the playa. I like that nothing is guaranteed to work. It is the middle of nowhere.

try using google and put the word eplaya into your search

aka: eplaya cell phone coverage

[junglesmacks]

Shut up, hippie.

[ygmir]

Shut up, hippie.

*hangs head and shuffles out*

[misfit]

check your survival guide, the answers are in there....

[portaplaya]

Answer (and condemnation of potential cell phone users) are found in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=284&t=56653

[9ah]

I really hope that they never get decent coverage on the playa. I like that nothing is guaranteed to work. It is the middle of nowhere.

try using google and put the word eplaya into your search

aka: eplaya cell phone coverage

I hope they don't either... It's great to be disconnected, if even for a dozen days!

[lemur]

yeah.. cuz turning yer phone off is so fuckin hard and impossible