Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Why is phone service immune?
We're expecting a third windstorm tonight. Three in three weeks. This one looks more like the 'usual' 50 MPH gustfront, which usually doesn't cause much damage.... but with so many trees bent and weakened by the 7/23 storm, the effects will likely be larger. I sent a FYI to my publisher, warning them that I may not be able to make the usual Wed morning conference call if phone service is cut.
Then I realized something. In 24 years of frequent windstorms and one big icestorm, the electricity has failed several times and Comcast Cable has failed several times. But the phone service has NEVER failed.
Why? The phone lines share the same poles that carry the power and cable. Why don't they get cut?
Some parts of the phone system are underground, which may be the answer.
Update next morning: The wind part of this storm missed us. Ended up with garden-variety thunderstorm. Plenty of rain, which we needed. THANKS, weather gods!
¶ 3:06 PM 
