As you look over our Ratings of cell-phone services (available to subscribers), you may notice that one big city is missing. We separated our Houston results from the rest of the Ratings this year because our annual survey, sent via e-mail, hit respondents just as Hurricane Ike roared into town.

Their experiences, captured in our Ratings, provide a rare snapshot into the effects of a disaster on cell-phone service. Respondents were asked to rate their experiences with the services over the previous seven days, which were perfectly timed with Ike and its aftermath.

The result: Connectivity scores were down across the board for all four providers rated—AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Many respondents weren't able to use their phones: Either there was no service at all, or circuits were full, or calls were dropped midstream. All but Verizon endured more static than usual.

All not surprising, considering the demands placed on cellular services during a weather emergency: Evacuees and others on the road boost call traffic, and wind, floodwaters, and lightning attack cell-transmission sites and towers.

Overall scores, however, were based on more than just the connectivity results, so they weren't very different from those in other cities. Overall scores in Houston ranged from 80 for Verizon to 70 for T-Mobile, 69 for AT&T, and 57 for Sprint.

—Donna Tapellini