topic Re: Tracfone worked during IRMA in Electronics

Tracfone worked during IRMA

Zhills — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 18:48:06 GMT

We lost power about 12:20 a.m. and IRMA was directly over us. We were in the "coma" they talked about.

After we lost power, I turned on my Tracfone LG Treasure and we watched the storm go over us and clear the area on a live feed out of Tampa.

It certainly was a comforting feeling to have that available. Hurrah for Tracfone!

Re: Tracfone worked during IRMA

I am still oxox — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 19:07:29 GMT

Hmm I have never heard of the coma of a hurricane do you perhaps mean cone?

Re: Tracfone worked during IRMA

millieshops — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 19:10:29 GMT

@ZhillsI think my Tracfone works on Verizon's lines.

I'm in NY, so I don't know whether it would have worked if I'd been in Florida.

I've been able to talk to my Florida neighbors on their cell phones (no idea who their providers are), but as of yesterday their land phones were still not functioning. Haven't tried today. Thank heavens lots of us have both cell and land so there are options when we need them.

Re: Tracfone worked during IRMA

2blonde — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 19:12:50 GMT

Tracfone uses a lot of different carriers, so whether or not you have service depends mostly on what carrier they have set up for your phone, and if those towers are still functioning. When I transfered over to Tracfone recently (my old T-Mobile "dumb" phone had died), the CS rep asked me which carrier I wanted.......depending on the quality of service for my area. She suggested Verizon or AT&T, and I wasn't really sure, so I picked Verizon because I knew it was popular around here.

Re: Tracfone worked during IRMA

terriebear — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 19:38:11 GMT

@Zhills

Yes, Your phone will work in a hurricane because they operate off of satellites way, way up in the sky, all over the nation. That is the way that they work. It is the way all wireless phones work.

Re: Tracfone worked during IRMA

millieshops — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 19:45:30 GMT

@terriebearAnd yet, I know I've been in storms when my cell didn't work- although overall, cell service is way better than a phone attached to one's cable company. Those are really worthless when the electric is out! I've been through that twice recently.

Re: Tracfone worked during IRMA

Zhills — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 20:03:34 GMT

But IRMA was between us and the satelitte! Glad it did work.

Re: Tracfone worked during IRMA

Zhills — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 20:12:22 GMT

@I am still oxox wrote:
Hmm I have never heard of the coma of a hurricane do you perhaps mean cone?

As IRMA moved up the state and weakened, the bottom and left side of the eye just disappeared. It looked like a coma.

Once the red cleared our area it was calm enough that we went to bed. It took it a couple of hours that were scary between midnight and 2 am. Weird, I know.

I was in this picture. Right above the A in LAKELAND. See how the left side was gone and the right side dips down.

Re: Tracfone worked during IRMA

dooBdoo — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 20:17:09 GMT

terriebear wrote:
@Zhills

Yes, Your phone will work in a hurricane because they operate off of satellites way, way up in the sky, all over the nation. That is the way that they work. It is the way all wireless phones work.

@terriebear, Cell phones use signals that transmit from land-based cell towers, not from satellites. You're thinking of satellite phones (which are costly and not commonly-used).

Re: Tracfone worked during IRMA

chrystaltree — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 20:20:41 GMT

"Coma" ??? I've heard of the eye of a hurricane, I assume you meant cone but that's a new term for me. I'm actually not surprised that there was cell phone coverage. The signals bounce off satellites and the hurricane didn't affect them. I think the towers are designed withstand anything and everything. I remember one of our local news stations talked about and as I recall, they said even if a tower did go out there are some type of mobile units that are also designed to withstand anything nature can throw at us and signals can be bounced off them if it comes down to that. Cell phone coverage is the one thing you can count on....as long as you can keep your phone charged. Makes me think about climbers on the top of Mt Everest with howling winds and snow and cold and yet they can make cell phone calls. We live in amazing times.

Re: Tracfone worked during IRMA

ValuSkr — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 20:22:02 GMT

@terriebear wrote:
@Zhills

Yes, Your phone will work in a hurricane because they operate off of satellites way, way up in the sky, all over the nation. That is the way that they work. It is the way all wireless phones work.

I thought that only satellite phones worked that way. Most (non-satellite) phones use the antennae, receivers, and other electronics that are on cell phone towers. If a tower lost power or was blown over, cell phone reception would be affected.

Re: Tracfone worked during IRMA

Zhills — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 20:32:58 GMT

@chrystaltree I agree. It is quite unusual for that to happen. Irma was far from normal. Hope she was "unique" and there's never another one like her!

Re: Tracfone worked during IRMA

dooBdoo — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 21:21:34 GMT

2blonde wrote:
Tracfone uses a lot of different carriers, so whether or not you have service depends mostly on what carrier they have set up for your phone, and if those towers are still functioning. When I transfered over to Tracfone recently (my old T-Mobile "dumb" phone had died), the CS rep asked me which carrier I wanted.......depending on the quality of service for my area. She suggested Verizon or AT&T, and I wasn't really sure, so I picked Verizon because I knew it was popular around here.

Everyone's cell phones do use various carriers, no matter which one is the primary carrier we've signed up for. For example. even though I'm an AT&T customer my service is from Sprint at the moment (I can view the service when I use the Speedtest app from Ookla to check the connection speed -- http://www.speedtest.net/mobile/).

Re: Tracfone worked during IRMA

dooBdoo — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 20:28:45 GMT

ValuSkr wrote:
terriebear wrote:
@Zhills

Yes, Your phone will work in a hurricane because they operate off of satellites way, way up in the sky, all over the nation. That is the way that they work. It is the way all wireless phones work.

I thought that only satellite phones worked that way. Most (non-satellite) phones use the antennae, receivers, and other electronics that are on cell phone towers. If a tower lost power or was blown over, cell phone reception would be affected.

That's correct, @ValuSkr. GMTA!

Re: Tracfone worked during IRMA

dooBdoo — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 20:58:54 GMT

Zhills wrote:
We lost power about 12:20 a.m. and IRMA was directly over us. We were in the "coma" they talked about.

After we lost power, I turned on my Tracfone LG Treasure and we watched the storm go over us and clear the area on a live feed out of Tampa.

It certainly was a comforting feeling to have that available. Hurrah for Tracfone!

I'm glad you're safe, @Zhills!❤️ Cell phones are wonderful during storms as long as the cell towers are available -- sometimes they aren't, and the phone itself is still "working" as long as it's charged but it won't be able to get a signal.

Re: Tracfone worked during IRMA

stevieb — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 20:42:15 GMT

As others have said, they won't always work. I recall two weather events in my area that blew out the cell service for most, if not all, providers for a short time. It seems to depend on so many things.

Re: Tracfone worked during IRMA

stevieb — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 20:59:44 GMT

I know people who only have their cells and have dumped their land lines... To be sure, land lines that rely on electricity are a pain, but you can get a battery back-up. I couldn't do with just a cell because the reception in my area isn't good. I live right outside a major metropolitan area and you'd think the cell service would be exemplary, but it really isn't always reliable.

Re: Tracfone worked during IRMA

dooBdoo — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 21:16:33 GMT

Zhills wrote:
I am still oxox wrote:
Hmm I have never heard of the coma of a hurricane do you perhaps mean cone?
As IRMA moved up the state and weakened, the bottom and left side of the eye just disappeared. It looked like a coma.

Once the red cleared our area it was calm enough that we went to bed. It took it a couple of hours that were scary between midnight and 2 am. Weird, I know.

I was in this picture. Right above the A in LAKELAND. See how the left side was gone and the right side dips down.

@Zhills, do you mean the "comma" shape? I've never heard of this, but I can see how someone might describe it as looking like a comma. Terrifying.

Re: Tracfone worked during IRMA

Zhills — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 23:25:21 GMT

" @Zhills, do you mean the "comma" shape? I've never heard of this, but I can see how someone might describe it as looking like a comma. Terrifying."

I have never heard of it either. Yes it was terrifying! The rain was raining as hard as it is possible to rain and the wind was blowing it against the house. Thankfully, it only lasted (the worse... the red in the picture) 2 - 2 1/2 hours. The rain and wind gusts lasted much longer. It was moving 30 mph by the time it got to us. At one time it was going 6 mph.

Re: Tracfone worked during IRMA

Moonchilde — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 04:06:57 GMT

Cell phones have definitely failed during earthquakes because towers became inoperable. They don't withstand everything.