Cell phone systems are highly dependent on a “smart” electrical grid increasingly prone to outages. Without the option of landlines, which can continue to operate even if the electrical grid goes dark, people will be left stranded and disconnected. It will take longer to recover from a disaster, lives will be lost, and the economy will likely be impacted.

What are the costs to our emergency response/ medical system as a result of losing the pinpoint accurate location info from landlines and substituting it with the less-than-pinpoint-accurate location information on wireless 911 emergency calls?

Access to reliable emergency services should take priority over AT&T profits.

Following are links to media coverage of the lack of reliability of cell phones in an emergency situation:

Questions Linger Over Cell Phone Reliability in Wake of Hurricane Sandy

USA Today Report:(Wireless) 911’s Deadly Flaw: Lack of Location Data

Cell Phones “Difficult, Frustrating” for 911 Dispatchers

NBC News: Why Calling 911 on Your Cell is Not Always a Good Idea

Broward County FL Press Release Urging Use of Landlines for 911 Calls

Why a Cellphone Lobby Win on 911 Calls Means ‘More People Will Die’

Saving Your Landline May Save Your Life!

Mauk said her landline was the only thing working in her house after the 2015 windstorm

A Landline Might Be Your Best Option During A Storm

Landlines: The ‘Dinosaur Phone Technology’ That Could Save You In A Crisis