Mobile coverage should be available everywhere an accident could happen (apparently)

Forums › New Zealand Mobile and Wireless › Mobile coverage should be available everywhere an accident could happen (apparently)

quickymart

14940 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 13953

ID Verified

#189598 5-Jan-2016 18:27

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/75606380/more-deaths-if-central-south-island-doesnt-get-better-mobile-coverage

Some pretty misinformed comments in there!

1 | 2

meow
13579 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10910

Moderator

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1461867 5-Jan-2016 18:52

I was about to post this out of pure rage last night when I saw it however decided it is best to not let people know I sometimes read Stuff when bored.

So, in the area this crash happened there are houses with PSTN services just like the good old days less than 100m from the crash scene. There is even ADSL coverage. If a person had any brains instead of being reliant on mobile coverage one would find a house and ask to use their phone. Trampers are not reliant off mobile coverage at all and have backup plans by informing people of their plans, carrying satellite phones, or even devices like the spot satellite messenger or an epirb.

I know this doesn't cover everyone but honestly humans, common sense. We got on just fine for years without mobile coverage...

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
Referral Links: Quic Broadband (use R122101E7CV7Q for free setup)

Are you happy with what you get from Geekzone? Please consider supporting us by subscribing.
Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

quickymart

14940 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 13953

ID Verified

#1462083 6-Jan-2016 07:01

Oh but lives will be lost! (or so the commenters on there reckon). Fortunately comments are now closed on that article. Must have been a bit too much for Stuff to regulate

firefuze

510 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 85

#1462189 6-Jan-2016 10:52

Aagghhhh........

I just..

Words, I cannot...

The rage.. the dark side I must not use..

Regardless of the Stuff commenters. I feel powerless to stop Stuff from producing these poorly written, often incorrect, poorly researched and often grammatically incorrect articles that are simply an insult to real journalists everywhere.

wellygary

8810 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5287

#1462203 6-Jan-2016 11:06

....and the mention of the government's $50 million cellphone black spot fund in the article is exactly where???.....

Stuff=/= Journalism
(especially over summer when all the young reporters are out at the beach 'gramming each other and they have left the interns and the mailboy in charge)

frankv

5705 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3666

Lifetime subscriber

#1464939 7-Jan-2016 10:13

Agree with all the above. But focussing on the headline:

More deaths if central South Island doesn't get better mobile coverage

The same could be said of anywhere in the world. i.e. it's not news. It's emotive BS aimed to sensationalise and make things dramatic.

More deaths if central North Island doesn't get better mobile coverage
More deaths if New Zealand doesn't get better mobile coverage
More deaths if Afghanistan doesn't get better mobile coverage
More deaths if Mt Everest summit doesn't get better mobile coverage

Not only that; it's BS. There will be the same number of deaths, regardless of almost anything. They will just happen later, and elsewhere. You could even argue that there will be *more* deaths if places get better coverage, since more people will survive accidents and therefore have (more) children.

johnr

19282 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2526
Inactive user

#1464996 7-Jan-2016 11:07

I am guessing they also failed to mention those that live in zero / low mobile coverage and have fixed broadband from VodafoneNZ can get ' Sure Signal '

HP

Shop now for HP laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

sidefx

3775 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1295

Trusted

#1465012 7-Jan-2016 11:16

Imagine that; a poorly researched and written stuff article using a recent tragedy to push a personal agenda of a couple of vocal self-entitled morons. Colour me surprised.

"I was born not knowing and have had only a little time to change that here and there." | Octopus Energy | Sharesies
- Richard Feynman

johnr

19282 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2526
Inactive user

#1465015 7-Jan-2016 11:19

sidefx: Imagine that; a poorly researched and written stuff article using a recent tragedy to push a personal agenda of a couple of vocal self-entitled morons. Colour me surprised.

Mobile towers are free to setup and don't need power to run and you can just plonk them wherever you like and like magic unicorns they just work

sidefx

3775 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1295

Trusted

#1465023 7-Jan-2016 11:24

These terrible tragedies could all be avoided if everyone had their own personal paramedic - I propose that every person in New Zealand should be provided with a free 24 hour personal paramedic otherwise people will continue to die in these avoidable tragedies!

"I was born not knowing and have had only a little time to change that here and there." | Octopus Energy | Sharesies
- Richard Feynman

quickymart

14940 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 13953

ID Verified

#1465035 7-Jan-2016 11:39

There's some pretty stupid people in those comments really.
I think the guy they quoted from TUANZ(?) - I heard him say on the radio news that a driver should be able to make a call from anywhere, regardless of location. Yes...good luck with that.

Coil

6614 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2153
Inactive user

#1465050 7-Jan-2016 11:57

It humors me to read people arguing over something they do not understand.
Even the commenters are on the Outram banter.
@andib Outram!!

Rekt....

HP

Shop now for HP laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

Wade

2225 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 373

#1465095 7-Jan-2016 12:55

we are all very lucky to have survived to this point in time as once upon a time not that long ago there were no cellphones at all, I am surprised we were not all wiped out back then

MikeB4

MikeB4
18775 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 12765

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#1465109 7-Jan-2016 13:03

how on earth can one update Facebook immediately if one is in an accident. It is a national disgrace that NZ does not have 100% coverage and I blame John Key. He is personally responsible.
There needs to be an urgent commission of enquiry into this and Parliament must sit in urgency to address the issue.

It is a basic human right to be able to update Facebook, Tweet, message everyone the second ones car starts down the cliff face.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

frankv

5705 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3666

Lifetime subscriber

#1465122 7-Jan-2016 13:24

sidefx: These terrible tragedies could all be avoided if everyone had their own personal paramedic - I propose that every person in New Zealand should be provided with a free 24 hour personal paramedic otherwise people will continue to die in these avoidable tragedies!

Great idea! Except in the cases of people being washed away down rivers and falling of mountains. We also need to station geographic (as opposed to personal) paramedics at the bottom of mountain faces and alongside rivers.

michaelmurfy

meow
13579 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10910

Moderator

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1465124 7-Jan-2016 13:28

TimA: It humors me to read people arguing over something they do not understand.
Even the commenters are on the Outram banter.
@andib Outram!!

<snip>

And now, the people of Outram speak out. First it was better broadband and now they're wanting mobile coverage? When I visited Outram I successfully posted a photo of the "welcome to Outram" signs via excellent Spark 3G coverage so at-least they've got an option there... Next we're going to see "Petition for Gigatown UFB in Outram" - you just wait...

sidefx: These terrible tragedies could all be avoided if everyone had their own personal paramedic - I propose that every person in New Zealand should be provided with a free 24 hour personal paramedic otherwise people will continue to die in these avoidable tragedies!

The problem we have here is paramedics could be killed. The only option? Baymax. R&D will likely cost less than the cell towers they're wanting.

1 | 2