Been thinking today (hmmm...strain on my brain). Thought I'd ask y'all, what do you think will happen to cellular phone systems? My husband thinks that because they are newer technology wise, that they might be less at risk. I'm not so sure, I think they may be vulnerable to more embedded chips.

Also, while we're speculating, how about the postal system? I'm wondering....how will I pay my mortgage bill (not that I am just dying to write that check)? So many unknowns....perhaps we'll go back to pony express or some version of that?

-- Curious (zippityy@doo.da), January 12, 1999

Answers

No power, no cell phones (which rely on mains supply to feed the repeaters.)

-- Bob Barbour (r.barbour@waikato.ac.nz), January 13, 1999.

Assuming there's power -- and assuming the technolgies are comparable here and in the USA:

Cellphones are VERY dependant on computer technology over and above ordinary telephone network (on which they depend). So no ordinary phones means no cellphones, but no cellphones can happen with ordinary phone network still working (crippled or otherwise). If you want a non-phone alternative for local use, buy a CB radio set or become a radio amateur.

Postal services have automated the sorting process a lot, but de- automating in a crisis would be easy. You just need some large rooms, some bins, and a lot of staff capable of reading addresses. In extremis, I'd expect the rooms to be commandeered (say school gyms or community halls) and the staff to be drafted. I'd also expect the price of sending a letter to be put up a lot during the emergency, to discourage frivolous and "junk" mail.

It all comes back to power. If that's even slightly OK, we'll make it. If that dies *completely* and unrepairably, then Paul Milne etc will be right.

-- Nigel Arnot (nra@maxwell.ph.kcl.ac.uk), January 13, 1999.

Curious - check out "The Postman" with Kevin Costner - this is exactly what it will be like:) Read "Lucifer's Hammer" - ditto...

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), January 13, 1999.