Fascinating Story: But Could You Please Explain It

Twitter to the rescue: When she crashed her bike in a forest with no cell phone reception, a gravely injured triathlete saved her own life when she tweeted out a desperate call for help.

                                    - Tweet Number 3 in THE 10 MOST POWERFUL TWEETS of 2010

I've had a serious injury and NEED Help! Can somone please call Winding Trails in Farmington, CT tell them I'm stuck bike crash in woods. - @LeighFazzina

Tweet was sent, or more appropriately received and posted at 1:05 PM Jul 27th via UberTwitter

That's a fascinating story, "twitter to th rescue".

Here is an outline:

She crashed ... in a forest ... no cell reception ... gravely injured ... she tweeted out.

Wow she had no cell reception what did she use to sent out a tweet?

She had a data plan?

GPRS activated on her device?

She sent out a txt message {SMS} to 40404?

She had a laptop, netbook, iPad, some other device

She had access to a Wi-Fi network

@twitter, please explain how she managed to send a tweet via UberTwitter with "no cell reception"?

Note: No disrespect to Ms Leigh Fazzina

Original piece is being kept intact no words taken out, saying so i am writing an update based on Ms Leigh Fazzina's blog posts

Twitter Leads Rescue Efforts of Fazzina Bike Crash

After not seeing anyone or having anyone hear me, I then crawled myself to my BlackBerry that was in my bike pack under the seat of my bike, and I had prayed that it was not wrecked. When I saw the phone on and working I immediately attempted to call my cousin Maria with whom I was visiting with all week  (Maria was at home, not on the race with us, but knew I was on the race).  But the signal strength for a phone call was so low and the connection was dim with the call saying  “connecting….” Her phone rang once, then it went silent. I tried calling a second time but no luck. Her phone didn’t even ring. At this point I knew the connection was too low for a call, so I decided the Twitter route

Thankfully, the signal I had was strong enough for an Internet and texting connection. I also learned in the midst of it all that the BlackBerry instant message (BBM) worked too.

Making Twitter’s Top 10 2010 Tweets: Story Facts & Lessons Learned

One question that remains fuzzy for some is how was I able to get an Internet connection on my mobile phone but not able to make a phone call? When USA Today covered the story they spoke to David Redl, Director of Regulatory Affairs at CTIA – The International Association for the Wireless Telecommunications Industry. David was quoted saying “that in areas with spotty cell phone coverage it’s not unusual to be able to send instant messages or messages through the internet.” Simply put, on a mobile phone, a phone call “connection” requires a large amount of bandwidth and strength whereas a text message, instant message or internet connection requires very little.

So there was no "no cell reception" it was a spotty reception happens in hills {in my experience}, in this case forests, twitter is utterly wrong when saying "no cell reception"

Text messages or GPRS packets are small bits some of which keep trying with modern day phones even after sending failed for the first time so when ever they get a chance they take a leave from the phone straight to hit towers

Whilst a phone call requires a lot of bandwidth and continuous connection of caller and receiver.
That might be the reason she got through to twitter and write a tweet calling for help in emergency

Hey Twitter "no cell reception" is different from "spotty cell reception"

No Offence to Ms Leigh Fazzina
Find her at her blog: http://www.leighfazzina.com/
Or her twitter account: http://twitter.com/LeighFazzina