A number of explosion incidents have happened in London affecting
the tube causing website and mobile phone saturation and some
localised issues with the PSTN. From here we are able to route
calls ok and networks seems a little busier, The BBC and Sky TV
websites are very busy.
Regards,
Neil.
From <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/uk/4659093.stm>:
Thursday, 7 July, 2005, 10:03 GMT 11:03 UK
Multiple blasts paralyse London
Several people have been injured after explosions on the Underground network and a double-decker bus in London.
A police spokesman said there were "quite a large number of casualties" at Aldgate Tube Station.
And Scotland Yard confirmed one of several reports of explosions on buses in the city - in Tavistock Place - but said the cause was not yet known.
UK Home Secretary Charles Clarke said several explosions in central London had caused "terrible injuries".
"The health services are in support to deal with the terrible injuries that there have been," Clarke told reporters outside Downing Street.
Number 10 said it was "still unsure" whether the explosions were a terrorist attack and although casualties were reported, no further details were yet available.
[...]
British Transport Police said incidents took place at Aldgate, Edgware Road, King's Cross, Old Street and Russell Square stations.
Scotland Yard confirmed they were assisting with a "major incident" and said there were casualties.
Hospitals have said they are no longer accepting non-emergency cases, BBC Five Live reported.
The National Grid, which supplies power to the Underground, said there had been no problems with its system which could have contributed to the incidents.
[ ... ]
The Underground "Tube" system is completely closed, the buses are not running, all public transport is shut down.
Police spokespeople have requested that citizens do not call the Emergency Services number unless there is an immediate life-threatening situation, and that if you are not hurt, you should stay wherever you are, stay safe, and do not travel.
Mobile networks have been switched in to emergency services only owing
to congestion and concern that devices may be activated by mobile.
However the cause of some of the these incidents is still not clear.
Neil J. McRae wrote:
A number of explosion incidents have happened in London affecting
the tube causing website and mobile phone saturation and some localised issues with the PSTN. From here we are able to route
calls ok and networks seems a little busier, The BBC and Sky TV
websites are very busy.
When 9/11 happened people in the US were surprised about the phone systems going down and there being "silence", i.e. no tone when you pick up the phone. In Israel, unfortunately, we are pretty used to such events and what follows technically.
I wonder, has anyone ever prepared a best practices paper of some sort as to what can be expected in cases of big emergencies and mass hysteria, for networks?
Thanks,
Gadi.
Yes, there have been several studies and papers about what happens to
networks during public emergencies. Look at the FCC NRIC (www.nric.org)
and the US National Academies of Science.
Unfortunately, in the USA at least, the government is fixated on trying
to force a particular "solution" instead of trying to understand the
different problems. Some people think pre-emption is the answer, and have
hired numerous consultants to try to push it through any standards group
they can find.
Most of the US Carriers have Priority systems setup on the Cell Networks for Government Users. You either enter in a Prefix code on your phone, or your phone’s SIM id is registered as a priority user.
Spencer