[jz638]

Could this be because of the new technology that we have (I assume the British too) where we can put out an EMP of sorts that turns off the cell signals.

One of the news stations (I wasn't listening too closely to the details so I could have heard it wrong) mentioned that the Brits have some sort of emergency system that narrows the available bandwidth for civilian phone signals in the event of a disaster such as this so that the phone calls of first responders can get through better.

[Spktyr]

That's handled through software, too - it's a filter, only certain phone IDs are allowed to make calls, or they're given priority, or only x number of "normal" phone IDs are allowed to make calls, etc..

Shutting down the entire civvie cell system is preferable, IHMO. The Brit first responders use regular digital radios more than anything else.