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Different league, but in the early days of Nuclear Red Button, UK Home Office was tasked with developing failsafe communication with Westminster when the PM is

Different league, but in the early days of Nuclear Red Button, UK Home Office was tasked with developing failsafe communication with Westminster when the PM is around the country. This was just after the US developed some kind of terrestrial radio system. The UK equivalent was entrusting all drivers with a box of coins so they can use the phone boxes. Should have hear run out, the PM could call the operator and request reverse charge connection (with UK strategic command or sth presumably). This was also deemed failsafe, as there are many phone boxes around the country. It was once described in length on QI...

ceejayoz 5y ago
> Should have hear run out, the PM could call the operator and request reverse charge connection (with UK strategic command or sth presumably). "Will you accept this collect call from: LAUNCH-THE-MISSILES-DO-IT-NOW?"
andyjohnson0 5y ago
> The UK equivalent was entrusting all drivers with a box of coins This was in the 1950s and is described in Peter Hennessey's excellent book The Human Button. It's been a while since I read the book, but from memory the cabinet office also purchased an AA membership so that the prime minister's driver would have a key giving them access to the private AA phone boxes that were fairly common back then. They had an arrangement with the AA call handlers to allow the PM to be connected to the appropriate part of government in an emergency. Meanwhile the US and Russian government probably had satellite...
- gerdesj 5y ago
  "Meanwhile the US and Russian government probably had satellite..." Silly old Britain relying on a largely subterranean circuit switched network whilst the cool kids might use the latest cool gear to get an important message through. Even today, whilst Facebook danced the grim fandango for an eye watering six hours, boring old standard issue comms carried on functioning. It sounds a bit daft but there was a massive network of red boxes all over the country with decent connectivity back to a network of exchanges etc etc POTS n that. The AA (Automobile Association) had their own boxes too. To use this network you needed a few pence. To get the message through you use keywords and passwords ie a protocol. The failure modes for a satellite phone in those days doesn't bear thinking of. When the message is important, keep it as simple as possible but no more.
  - ceejayoz 5y ago
    > The failure modes for a satellite phone in those days doesn't bear thinking of. Hell, the same is true today. Any significant conflict between world powers may start with knocking out the satellites.

ceejayoz 5y ago

> Should have hear run out, the PM could call the operator and request reverse charge connection (with UK strategic command or sth presumably). "Will you accept this collect call from: LAUNCH-THE-MISSILES-DO-IT-NOW?"

andyjohnson0 5y ago

> The UK equivalent was entrusting all drivers with a box of coins This was in the 1950s and is described in Peter Hennessey's excellent book The Human Button. It's been a while since I read the book, but from memory the cabinet office also purchased an AA membership so that the prime minister's driver would have a key giving them access to the private AA phone boxes that were fairly common back then. They had an arrangement with the AA call handlers to allow the PM to be connected to the appropriate part of government in an emergency. Meanwhile the US and Russian government probably had satellite...

gerdesj 5y ago
"Meanwhile the US and Russian government probably had satellite..." Silly old Britain relying on a largely subterranean circuit switched network whilst the cool kids might use the latest cool gear to get an important message through. Even today, whilst Facebook danced the grim fandango for an eye watering six hours, boring old standard issue comms carried on functioning. It sounds a bit daft but there was a massive network of red boxes all over the country with decent connectivity back to a network of exchanges etc etc POTS n that. The AA (Automobile Association) had their own boxes too. To use this network you needed a few pence. To get the message through you use keywords and passwords ie a protocol. The failure modes for a satellite phone in those days doesn't bear thinking of. When the message is important, keep it as simple as possible but no more.
- ceejayoz 5y ago
  > The failure modes for a satellite phone in those days doesn't bear thinking of. Hell, the same is true today. Any significant conflict between world powers may start with knocking out the satellites.