With up to four million expected to be on hand, CTIA warned of d...
With up to four million expected to be on hand, CTIA warned of dropped calls when using wireless devices during the Presidential Inauguration events in Washington on Jan. 20. Major U.S. wireless carriers said they've spent millions to prepare…
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for the big day, though they remain cautious. The wireless industry is preparing for “record traffic” during the Inauguration and “there will likely be some delays,” said CTIA President Steve Largent. CTIA warned that some dropped calls and network difficulties will be inevitable, especially if crowds exceed projections. To lessen the load on the network, the trade group suggested sending text messages rather than making phone calls, and holding off sending any photos. Text messages and e-mails can get through when voice calls sometimes fail, it said. AT&T, whose planning began in August, is well prepared, a spokeswoman said. As part of its preparation, the carrier has spent $4 million on network capacity, she said. The company plans for an 80 percent boost in 3G network capacity and a 69 percent boost in 2G network capacity along the National Mall and parts of Georgetown areas. Sprint Nextel’s network wouldn’t have problems handling a two-million crowd, a spokesman said. There will only be minor problems if the number of attendees reaches four million, he said, stressing that public safety responders won’t encounter any problems on Sprint’s network. The carrier, which started preparation in April, has deployed additional phone lines and beefed up equipment at cell towers, he said. It’s boosting its CDMA capabilities by 40 percent and its iDEN capabilities by 90 percent, he said. Verizon and T-Mobile are doing the same. T-Mobile has added voice and data capacity to some 100 cell sites in the D.C. area, a spokeswoman said. For further high-speed data movement, it has added Tier 1 lines to all of its 3G cell sites around the Mall and surrounding area, she said. It’s configuring its network to support the expected large number of people sending text messages, pictures and videos. It’s working with government agencies to place cells-on-wheels to further cover high-demand spots throughout the Mall area. Its investments to support consumer wireless coverage and emergency personnel at the Inauguration run into millions, the spokeswoman said. Verizon’s not revealing the cost of its planning or infrastructure additions at this time, a spokeswoman said.