When the weather turns dangerous, staying connected remains important. T-Mobile said in a press release disseminated on Wednesday that it has been investing in "resilient tech and on-the-ground support to keep people and first responders connected when it matters most." This includes direct-to-cell satellite backup which includes the ability to make calls (including calls to 911 emergency services) and receive data for select apps even during hurricanes and wildfires.
September is National Preparedness Month
T-Mobile reminds us that this month is National Preparedness Month and T-Mobile takes this seriously. For the carrier, it means continually improving the technologies to keep families, first responders and communities connected when they need it the most. Besides using T-Satellite as a way to keep connected when terrestrial services are down, T-Mobile offers first responders a 5G slice optimized to have the connectivity features they need.
Have you ever had a disaster cut your wireless connection?
Yes and without cell service, life was bad.
27.27%
No. My cell service was unaffected.
36.36%
I've never faced a disaster or serious weather condition.
36.36%
Additionally, T-Mobile has a fleet of trucks that can be mobilized to areas that have been hard hit by a weather emergency. SatCOLTS are mobile cell sites built directly on a light truck or a heavy-duty vehicle. With an onboard power generator to keep the signal alive, and an extendable mast to increase the coverage area, the SatCOLTS are an important part of T-Mobile's plan to keep areas connected even when there is a disaster or a weather emergency.
A T-Mobile SatCOLT, which is a mobile cell site mounted on a towed trailer. | Image credit-T-Mobile
Also of use during dangerous weather conditions is a SatCOW. No, this is not a kind of satellite on wheels that you can milk. It is a satellite cell site mounted on a towed trailer. With a power source that is wheeled along with it, the SatCOW is smaller, more compact, and is easier to tow to locations. Both are designed to be used to provide temporary talk, text, and data connectivity to both first responders, and the general public. Often in the case of disastrous weather, the carrier will allow non-T-Mobile customers to make phone calls.
T-Mobile also brings Self-organizing networks (SON) to areas where T-Mobile customers are in danger of losing their connection to the network because of a thunderstorm, hurricane, tornado, or other weather conditions. SON uses AI-powered technology to make hundreds of thousands of corrections to the network in real time during a disaster or weather event to help keep people connected.
There is a human part to T-Mobile's disaster protocol
There is a human element to T-Mobile's disaster protocol. Team members help those impacted with a loss of connectivity by providing them with Wi-Fi to help them make a call, and a generator-powered charger to replenish their phone's battery in the event of a power outage. Nicole Hudnet, Industry Segment Adviser for T-Mobile for Business says, "Connectivity is more than calling loved ones, it’s an essential service. It enables 911, power restoration, road clearing, prescription access and even grocery transactions. We don’t just restore signal. We help restore life as people know it."
T-Mobile gets its people into an affected area to help people get their lives back. | Image Credit-T-Mobile
In 2005, Hurricane Wilma impacted the area of South Florida where I was living and I lost my cell service and power for about a week. I can tell you that living without cell service for a week made me feel isolated from the rest of the country and this was before the touchscreen smartphone era started two years later. Once my cell service returned (which coincided with the return of electricity), I felt much better and could breathe again.
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Twenty years have passed, and things have improved so much that had Wilma taken place now, I might not have lost a single day of wireless connectivity. Just know that if you are facing a serious weather situation and you're a T-Mobile subscriber, the carrier has the technology to keep you connected to others. In fact, all major Big 3 carriers in the U.S. have protocols they follow when a disaster happens, or there is a major weather problem.
"Iconic Phones" is coming this Fall!
Good news everyone! Over the past year we've been working on an exciting passion project of ours and we're thrilled to announce it will be ready to release in just a few short months.
"Iconic Phones: Revolution at Your Fingertips" is a must-have coffee table book for every tech-head that will bring you on a journey to relive the greatest technological revolution of the 21st century. For more details, simply follow the link below!
Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
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