During a crisis or local emergency, cell phone service is unreliable.
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The author is the founder of Information Station Specialists – theRADIOsource.com, which creates specialized components for broadcast stations and traveler information stations for government agencies.
On April 8th, the moon’s shadow will arc across North America from Mexico to Maine. Some 3.7 million solar eclipse enthusiasts are expected to flock to the 120-mile-wide corridor to see the totality before setting off in a mass exodus.
But no one is willing to part with this sea of cars. Gridlock is inevitable. First responders can expect to have difficulty contacting those in need. It is predicted that food, fuel and medical services may be in short supply. Three Texas counties have already declared local states of emergency and are bracing for their populations to double in the days before and after the event.
But even worse, communication failures can occur. Solar eclipses occur wherever they occur, regardless of base station capacity. Cell phone service can become overloaded, especially in areas with low coverage, leaving both travelers and residents unable to make calls. Mobile phones are the gateway to the Internet, especially for people in cars. Once the cap is reached, everything from providing wayfinding assistance to weather alerts and emergency notifications can be affected.
Broadcasters have a unique opportunity to step into that gap. This fact has been recognized internationally, with the United Nations’ UNESCO agency recently recognizing broadcasters as a “critical lifeline” and calling for “emergency radio frequencies to disseminate critical information to the public” worldwide. We encourage protection.
Closer to home, this reality is further amplified by bipartisan support for the AM for Every Vehicle Act, which would require every vehicle sold in the United States to have an AM radio receiver prominently mounted on its dashboard. I am. The bill’s sponsor, New Jersey Representative Josh Gottenheimer, predicted that the bill is “close to becoming law.” Pending passage, Gottenheimer called on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require automakers to label vehicles without AM receivers as “unsafe in certain emergency situations.” ing.
Local public safety officials clearly recognize the need for communications resiliency. Four counties near Indianapolis (Hendricks, Morgan, Shelby and Boone) are stepping up their efforts with their own Travelers I programs.Information Radio Station (TIS) Not just because of the solar eclipse, but in anticipation of future wireless service outages.
Morgan County installed a high-efficiency AM antenna to enhance signal coverage on Interstate 69, which parallels the eclipse path through the county. Shelby and Hendricks counties also stream Transmit TIS radio programs to the Internet. PCs and network-connected devices are less likely to be affected by service volume than mobile phones.
Wireless service interruptions are more likely to occur as a result of natural disasters than solar eclipses. The recent prolonged power outage on Maui is a case in point. However, cyber-attacks due to malicious activity or war can be even more serious. It has the potential to become dramatically more destructive, undermining not only wireless infrastructure but the Internet itself. Its duration, scope, and geography can be enormous by comparison.
Just one month ago, Congressional committees were reminded that bad actors from other countries are targeting U.S. infrastructure and intending to cause “real-world harm” to American citizens. Jen Easterly, director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), advised the committee that Americans need to prepare for unexpected cyberattacks.
Think about how broadcast companies, safety agencies, and yourself can help with awareness and preparedness. Unlike natural phenomena, the approach of this shadow cannot be predicted within seconds. But as our leaders advise, it is predictable.
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