Would mobile phones work if the national grid collapsed

[doziedoozie]

Not something I see happening any time soon but I am having an argument and can imagine what would happen if the power stopped as regards electricity supply and household gadgets but would our phones continue to work (until they needed recharged) or would the transmitters, satellites they need stop working.

I presume that computer systems in banks etc wouldn't work either without power. Or perhaps for a matter of days on an emergency supply, until that gave up.

Would we be plunged back into the 1950s - don't know if that makes me happy or sad!

Most places have generators. Hospitals have a lot, banks, police stations, fire stations have some. Big phone masts. Offices, tube stations, train stations.

They'd last enough time for the national grid to get back online, and there are back up plans with other countries incase it couldn't.

Can you tell I have family that work in electricity?!

When I worked in the Electricity industry, we re-equipped a lot of engineers and vans with Private Mobile Radio (works like a walkie-talkie) because in the event of a major failure, there might be no mobile phone service, and they would be the people who had to fix it.

In your own home, you should have at least one simple telephone (not cordless) plugged into a landline socket, that does not need mains electricity supply. Exchanges do have standby supplies.

Mobile phone services will stop working because every rooftop aerial needs power. They also get overloaded when there is an emergency because everyone tries to pile in. You are more likely to get a text through, with delays. You will have no supply to your phone charger so it will run down.

Aaahh, very interesting.

The back up plans with other countries is pretty crafty, so my return to the 1950s seems unlikely.

I have a phone which doesn't need power, just hesitated as I was about to chuck it out and shoved it in the cupboard. Very useful for calling the electricity company when the power goes off! (mobile doesn't work too well here)

Interestingly, crude oil prices have dropped a lot in recent months, due to increase in production from USA which was once a big importer and will soon be a big exporter.

By chance this has happened at about the same time that Mr Putin is threatening to withhold Russian oil as a weapon to re-establish dominance in Eastern Europe.

almost 20% lower than a year ago
Let's see those fuel bills drop.

A lower price means the cost of extracting oil from some older wells, eg in the N Sea, wont' be viable. Perhaps the lower price will give the economy a boost (if transport energy etc is cheaper)

At the time of writing, we are sucking in about 6% of UK electrical load from France and Holland interconnects. It then gets passed round the Grid. I don't know how much we could take in time of crisis, but I think I heard it would not be enough to get us through a cold winter if our own generation stock has much downtime e.g. for repairs or safety shutdowns. Changing government policies has discouraged investment in new generating plant, and now the govt feels it has to offer heaps of gold to the French to build new nuclear plant here and promise to pay them double for the electricity.

Look at the meters on here towards the right-hand-side of the page for the undersea interconnects.

I know someone who worked in the N Sea Gas industry and Valentine's day each year was usually around peak demand.

This question reminds me of a channel 4 film about the national grid going down for a week.
Worth a watch if it's still on 4OD, was called "Blackout"
Made me want to always have a cache of tinned food and bottled water that's for sure...