What is the primary inherent limitation of relying on public mobile phone networks for critical event staff communication during a high-density public event?

The primary inherent limitation of relying on public mobile phone networks for critical event staff communication during a high-density public event is their susceptibility to network congestion. Public mobile phone networks are commercial cellular systems provided by carriers that are designed to serve a broad base of individual subscribers across wide geographical areas. Each component of this network, specifically individual cell towers or cell sites, has a finite, fixed capacity for handling simultaneous voice calls and data traffic within its coverage area. During a high-density public event, a vast concentration of people converges within a limited space. Each of these individuals typically uses their mobile device for various communication needs, such as making calls, sending text messages, browsing the internet, or streaming content. When the collective demand from this large number of users within a specific cell tower's coverage significantly exceeds its finite capacity, the network becomes overloaded, a condition known as network congestion. This inherent limitation means that during such periods of peak demand, the network's performance degrades severely, leading to delayed or failed call connections, undelivered messages, and extremely slow or completely unavailable data services. For critical event staff communication, which requires immediate and reliable information exchange for safety, security, and operational coordination, this fundamental vulnerability to congestion means that essential communications cannot be guaranteed precisely when they are most crucial.