That is really not true. There are plenty of people with laptops and the phone is usually the last utility to go. I have never been totally offline after a hurricane but the cable is always out for weeks.
You must have a better designed phone system in FLA.. Not to mention the new hype of "internet phone service". The phone co (SBC) has had capacity problems here keeping up with all the new construction, but the cable co was on the ready with internet phone and is plucking off SBC business bigtime.
As I remember as well, when the power was out, the local ISP phone numbers didn't pick up (assuming the UPS batteries had exhausted themselves someplace)... Not that you couldn't connect to one out of the area though...
I see your point though Greg... I just can't picture losing power and half my yard being blown 4 blocks away.. then thinking, "Hey I'm gonna google a way to get a gennie going on the house.." It just seems more like someone looking for a weekend "preparedness" project kinda thing..
