Tony Dye

UPS & FedEx at the Post Office?

On several occasions, visiting the Liberty KY Post Office,  I've noticed UPS or FedEx trucks seemingly making deliveries.  That seemed odd, so I asked about it.  Sure enough, the Liberty Post Office actually works with the competitors!  I don't know if this is true elsewhere, but it was a pleasant surprise.  It gets even better.  Even though my address is a PO Box, per the post office, YES, I can receive UPS and FedEx shipments to that box address!  I tested it, and yes, it works!

Not what I was expecting from the post office.  It's nice to sometimes get more than you expect!

AT&T Emergency Cell Service?

I just read a Wall Street Journal article about AT&T's preparations for handling potential weather related outages during snow storms.  Near the end of the article, there's a mention AT&T's storm preparations, which includes this interesting item:

"-- Staging mobile cell sites and portable generators in safe locations for their immediate deployment once a storm has passed."

So, does this imply that AT&T can quickly raise a portable cell site in an emergency situation?  So, if you previously had coverage in an area, and lost it, why wouldn't you use this type of technology to restore service?  What am I missing?

AT&T: More Bars, More Places?

Afraid that for the last month, AT&T has had fewer (as in zero) bars in an area that previously had good coverage.  Cellular One had previously provided decent quality roaming for AT&T customers in the Dunnville, KY area.  When they were bought out (by Verizon?), they turned off AT&T service, impacting several hundred residents, and all who travel US 127 through the south end of Casey County (including me!).  The Casey County News story is here: Look who's not talking.

AT&T is planning to build their own new tower in the area to restore service, but when?  Various reports indicate different dates in 2010.  So, for now, we're just out of luck?  AT&T, I don't know how you might negotiate with the existing provider in the area, but wouldn't it make sense to pay your competitor to re-offer the service, until you can replace it?  What is the cost of lost customer loyalty?  Of negative perception?  People who bought your service, and were receiving it, have now lost the basics.  This seems unconscionable to me.  Am I the only one?

By the way, if you want to check AT&T coverage for any location, they have a simple mapping tool here: http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer/.