TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Re: NYC 1975 CO Fire -- Supposed it Happened Today?

Re: NYC 1975 CO Fire -- Supposed it Happened Today?

Bob Goudreau (BobGoudreau@notchur.biz)
Fri, 21 Jul 2006 23:08:19 -0400

[Please obfuscate my email address as always.]

Lisa Hancock wrote:

> In Feb 1975 there was a very bad fire in a big Central Office building
> in New York City. Twelve local exchanges and numerous tandem switches
> were knocked out.

> The Bell System mobilized and worked around the clock to get service
> restored. Some burnt panel switchgear was removed and replaced with
> new ESS switches airlifted in. Other gear was cleaned one contact at
> a time with Q-Tips. Some calls were rerouted to other offices.
> Service was restored quickly and known as the "Miracle on Second
> Avenue".

> I wonder: Suppose a fire like that happened today: Would it take
> longer or shorter to restore service in today's world?

I think the most prominent recent comparable telecom disaster in the
US also occurred in Manhattan, but is perhaps overlooked because it
was just a small part of a much larger disaster. I'm referring to the
Verizon facilities damaged during the September 11, 2001 terrorist
attacks. See:
http://newscenter.verizon.com/proactive/newsroom/release.vtml?id=61409
and http://telephonyonline.com/news/telecom_verizon_dial_tones/index.html
and http://www.connectlive.com/events/verizon/transcript-120301.html
for some reflections on how Verizon recovered from the loss of a
switching office that served hundreds of thousands of voice lines and
millions of data circuits.

Bob Goudreau

Cary, NC

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