Mobile Carrier Outages FYI

Some others here are probably experiencing problems with mobile connections and this can affect the ability of dispatchers calling you (as Michael had trouble with a short while ago) and maybe even your ELD units sending messages. I have had trouble locally and this seems to be a widespread problem, probably due to solar flaressolar flares: https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/news/x2-flare-r3-strong-radio-blackout-20-april-2022-utc-day

Down Detector presently shows a large increase in reported problems with all carriers. https://downdetector.com/

I have had better luck sending text messages

Haven't had any problems. My dispatcher never calls me. Maybe a dozen phone calls in 6 years. The Qualcomm has 3 different communication systems so if the cell network doesn't work. The satellite connection does. Not a big deal.

Not worried about solar flares. Truckers did this without phones and GOS years ago. I can too if I have to.

The solar flares have been interrupting all radio signals that rely on satellites and maybe more and started being experienced last night. All of the Qualcomm units rely on satellites just like mobile phones.

Of course trucking operations were conducted without all of these electronics but now they rely on them much more. Hope things continue to work for you.

Starlink recently lost 54 satellites due to solar flares, $$$ poof!

Michael runs short trips quite often when he is approaching home time and gets frequent calls to get alerted to new loads, etc. or change in plans due to helping out another fleet.

Haven't had any problems. My dispatcher never calls me. Maybe a dozen phone calls in 6 years. The Qualcomm has 3 different communication systems so if the cell network doesn't work. The satellite connection does. Not a big deal.

Not worried about solar flares. Truckers did this without phones and GOS years ago. I can too if I have to.

Must be a Kookie-Fornia thing. I've experienced no issues. The various telemarketing scam calls still making it through to the junk box today.

I've had no issues in the Midwest today.

Methinks the tide is turning. Will the real slim shady please stand up?

LOL, so all of the scams come from outside of California?

It seems Verizon is hardest hit but searches show all carriers are having some troubles. Verizon is apparently hardest hit in California, maybe on some satellites affected: https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/verizon-wireless-customers-report-outages-across-us/

The front page of https://downdetector.com/ shows all carriers were affected but that the outages are declining. I only posted this in case you were having problems that you couldn't figure out. My tractor mechanic was having troubles and I told him I just had some troubles and Linda said Michael had text her about the issue. I tried calling my mechanic standing right next to me as a test and got "invalid number". Some people were guessing the Russian hackers might be at work but most placed the blame on solar flares.

FYI - if I move out of California it will be due to the politics and taxes here, not the problems with mobile service, LOL The weather here seems to nice to justify leaving .... yet.

Must be a Kookie-Fornia thing. I've experienced no issues. The various telemarketing scam calls still making it through to the junk box today.

I came from south Ga to Tn on verizon. No issues.

I have both Verizon and T mobile .. went through WA, OR. UT, WY IA MO KY IL TN.... No issues

Probably hype just like masks 😂

I'm in NV and the Mrs is in CO. She's on US carriers, I'm on Verizon. Both hit hard. Data speeds slow and patchy voice doesn't work at all. Many functions of the phones experiencing erratic behavior. She can't text now.

Phones are a radio transceiver. Most people don't think about that. Most common is 2.4ghz band, also common to blue tooth and WiFi, all of which are having issues. Ham ops. Probably will note issues as well. My Dad was W6IXP.

My laptop is having issues connecting and experiencing erratic behavior as well.

I'm on Zonar, which is horrible, routinely crashes, looses GPS location, throws me out of drive, into on duty when I'm on a 34, logs out, etc. So it's just another day for zonar users.

I question the solar flare explanation though. Especially given that Russia has high altitude EMP capabilities, and we're certainly not above testing on ourselves. Seems to be worse towards the west coast. It started there this morning. I could just be paranoid but solar flare is the new weather balloon.