IN CASE OF TERRORISM: A MOBILE THAT ALWAYS CONNECTS
Five thousand people have cell phones cooler than yours. Their calls always get connected, no matter how busy the circuits. Who are they? Political leaders, emergency response commanders, military brass, and execs who oversee critical infrastructure. Sorry, Tim Russert, you don�t rate.
The dialed-in VIPs are helping the Feds test their Wireless Priority Service in New York and Washington, DC. The mobile-phone system is designed to secure airtime in case of a terrorist attack or other threat. Users get special Motorola P280s whose signals automatically go to the head of the cellular queue in times of crisis. Regular folks too far down the line get the dreaded fast busy signal.
The landline version, the Government Emergency Telecommunications Service, has operated for years. About 60,000 policymakers and industry honchos have ID numbers from the Feds. They dial an 800 number, input the PIN, and suddenly they�re strategizing with Condi. On 9/11, almost every GETS call connected.
But the WPA pilot technology works a little too well: It�s always on, whether big shots are reporting a dirty bomb or ordering pad thai to go. The problem should be fixed by the time the service goes national later this year. The phones, however, will still be cool.
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