One of the arguments being used to prop up the existing telephone system (and, more important, the existing telephone system companies) is that we need big ol’ companies to guarantee reliable service in an emergency.

So, Jeff Pulver has pulled together a bunch of stories about how effective VOIP has been in the areas Katrina hit hardest. (As you know VOIP, or voice over IP, uses the Internet to transmit calls.)

And Cringely is proposing putting portable Wimax hotspots at the fringes of a disaster area to enable VOIP where the Net is otherwise unavailable.

What network has been shown to be more resilient than the Net? (Thanks to emails from Tom Evslin and Kevin Marks for the links.)

Tom Evslin blogs about Stuart Henshall‘s idea, already a week old, that the telephone companies make the phone numbers of the victims of Katrina available as VOIP numbers. Then the people whose phone lines are literally under water could use VOIP wherever they are — and presumably, VOIP phones would be made available to them — to make calls, check phone mail, etc. (Normal phone numbers lead to a particular socket in a particular location, even if that location is now underwater. VOIP numbers are virtual and can be accessed wherever there’s an Internet connection.)

It’s a great idea and it’s dismaying that a week later — even though the FCC took the first step of waiving some waiting periods for transfers — those in charge are still thinking that the transfer should be to a new hardwired phone rather than to VOIP number that a displaced person could use wherever she is.

And while we’re talking about real steps that would make us more secure, Michael Moore wonders how even the people who voted for Bush feel now that we’ve learned he appoints leaders of FEMA the way presidents appoint ambassadors to Luxembourg.

I can tell you honestly that I feel less safe with Bush in office than I would have with Kerry, Dean, McCain or Sean Penn. And when I say “I feel less safe,” what I actually mean is “My kids are more at risk.” [Tags: HurricaneKatrina voip wimax fcc security MichaelMoore]

Categories: Uncategorized dw