If there was a major earthquake would cell phones still work?

Question

When I say major, I mean at least a 7.0

Answer 1

There are several symptoms noticed in different parts of the world in different occasions. But it may happen occasionally not always. Read this for malfunctioning of house hold appliances may be noticed before an earthquakes.

Malfunctioning home electric appliances before earthquakes.

Appliance Behaviors

Car navigators Fluctuation of the pointer arrow.

Clocks (quartz) Stopping or sudden movements of the second hand.

Fast forward and backward movement or delayed movement.

Fluorescent lamps Dimming of light as during thunderstorms.

Intercoms Spontaneous buzzing sounds, or not functioning.

Mobile phone Ringing & light but no record of caller.

Do not function, make odd sounds.

Radio   (AM) Spontaneous switching and loud sounds, pulsed noise.

Refrigerators Strange compressor noises, spoiled yogurt.

TVs Spontaneous switching, speckling and flicker.

Barber-pole color, lines, image disortion, white bands, loss of colour, reversion to black and white, channel fluctuations.

Answer 2

Depends on how well the cellphone towers survived the quake.  If the cell towers continued to work, your cellphone should.  (But, of course, more people would be using their cells, and the circuits may be busy or overloaded).