Mobiles Schmobiles!!!
I've never read as much hot air in all my life as this thread.
What we're looking at here is our (and by that I mean every last one of us) total over-reliance on mountain rescue teams for safety cover on our long races.
If we were all as self-reliant as some of the gobbers on here dream that we are, then, after the Edale Skyline's finished, and we're all in the village hall sipping tea and eating sarnies, feeling self-satisfied with our performances (!!), it should go something like this:-
Andy comes dashing in and says that he's a couple missing between Mam Nick and Jacob's Ladder. Immediately, we should ALL get of our backsides, kit up again, grab extra waterproofs and lights from the cars (cos it's gonna be a long night) and sweep-search in a big long line from Lord's Seat right over Brown Knoll to Edale Cross. Whatever the time, whatever the weather. Everybody! Right?
If you want modern day rescue teams to look after you, then you've got to play the game their way.
Personally, I would dearly love to go back to the old ways (and don't think these things didn't happen, they most certainly did) - but I fear that there are some folk on here who would quickly go back to road running when they tasted reality.