[Trot]

You'd think that someone would have texted or made a phone call, unless they were overcome by smoke. One report which I've not heard repeated is that the manifest showed there was a cargo of lithium batteries in the hold. If they burned, everyone may have been overcome by smoke, and such a fire would likely have destroyed essential electrical system elements. What do you think?

[Tzfat]

You'd think that someone would have texted or made a phone call, unless they were overcome by smoke

Try this next time you fly. Wait about 5 minutes after take off. Switch on your phone. No signal. It won't come on again until you are about 5 minutes from landing. Essentially, there is no current means for phones to work above 4000 feet. Now, move over the South China sea... even sea level there would not be any phone service.

[jimjohn]

Mind you again, this is only a guess (we’re all speculating here) that I distress signal could have been sent out even without the pilot saying anything.

AND/OR

If the pilot has turned to the nearest airport, I’m thinking he’s on the mic immediately calling down to that runway looking for a clearing and calling for fire equipment on the ground.

Then again, if the fire spread quickly and fried the comms, it’s all moot.

[Qiviut]

You'd think that someone would have texted or made a phone call, unless they were overcome by smoke.

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Good info ......

Questions Over Absence of Cellphone Calls From Missing Flight’s Passengers