[–] 15336919? 0 points 3 points 3 points (+3|-0) ago
Ham radio, CB radio, ad hoc wifi networks, mesh networks, etc. Ham radios are necessary for keeping up with worldwide happenings. You need an experienced operator in your group.
If the phone service is out, you might be able to go to the nearest junction box, wire all the phones in your neighborhood together, hook a solar power setup to the power wire, and have a local telephone party line. TPTB may take down services, but they won't be removing the wires.
You need to think outside the box.
McGyver the hell out of the situation.
[–] 15340959? 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
If you hook all the phones together, it will be like a party line. Everyone can hear everyone else, so you have to take turns talking.
You need power for the phones. It takes 45 volts, but not a whole lot of current, so one solar setup could power the neighborhood. Otherwise, each person could power their own phones.
If you're not familiar with how the phone service works, look up POTS, or plain old telephone service.
[–] 15336256? 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago (edited ago)
I bought a cheap set of the two-way radios to add to the set we already had. My husband works just a couple miles away so he has one and I have one at home. And his parents are within the 16-mile-radius, so they have one too. This was a $19.99 set of radios I picked up at Aldi's in their weekly finds section. There are long-range two-way radios too. I know Best Buy has them. If you go the two-way radio/walkie talkie route, just make sure you have plenty of batteries. If you end up needing these, they'll go batteries fairly quickly.
EDIT: Test them too. The ranges are affected by hills, trees, etc.
[–] 15337052? 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
Take over the local radio tower. Bring gasoline powered generator and try to broadcast once per hour on the hour.