Subject: [NEXTEL-1] the problem is...

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2004 05:12:32 -0400

-------- Original Message --------
   From: [email-masked]
Subject: the problem is...
     To: [email-masked]

 Using such services like Nextel, Verizon, Sprint RL, etc for "mission
critical" comms is a bad idea, even for administrative purposes during a
disaster. No matter what they hype, any commercial system is susceptible
to failure. What further compounds the problem is the misinformation of
carriers such as Nextel who push their product to public safety as the
end all solution to interoperability (an add in MRT comes to mind). The
first thing to go is any network based platform due to overload,
infrastructure damage/destruction, or loss of utilities. Nothing can
replace what has worked for years, and is available with NO MONTHLY FEE
or network, and that is, good old VHF high power conventional radio with
a mutual aid plan. This is not complicated, and I guess that is why the
amateur community is called out to make it happen with our "40 year old
VHF" conventional radios and networks of redundant relay stations when
you guys' 100 million dollar radios and Nextel phones fail during the
earthquakes, power outages, etc.