The phone didn’t work.
With power and cell phone service out for several days after Hurricane Helen, Jeff Twersky was trying to see if he could get connected again.
Mr. Twersky, a 69-year-old retired trial lawyer, was in Weaverville, North Carolina, outside Asheville, with his wife, family and friends when the hurricane hit. The group celebrated a birthday earlier this week and rented an Airbnb in a small town to explore the mountainous region, but they didn’t expect the storm in the forecast or the disaster that followed.
Roads were closed, water was scarce, and the ability to reach anyone by cell phone or text message was limited, if it even worked. In the days following Helen, thousands of people in the southeast were stranded without power or cell phone service.
Twerski, who was visiting the area from Vashon Island, Wash., went out on the night of Sept. 28, hoping he’d be lucky enough to get a late connection on his iPhone 16, which happened. .
“My cell phone switched to satellite,” Twersky told USA TODAY, adding that he didn’t know about that feature. “I was able to contact my daughter in San Francisco.”
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“Satellite mode” and mobile phone networks
Satellite mode or “satellite SOS” functionality has been introduced in many new cell phone models. This feature allows you to send text messages when cellular or WiFi coverage is unavailable, such as in remote locations or during natural disasters.
For Apple, this feature is available on iPhone 14 and newer devices updated to iOS 18. Google has a satellite SOS mode that you can enable on Pixel 9 models to contact emergency services. In addition to the tech companies that manufacture the devices, the cell phone network also works with satellite support companies such as AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, which has partnered with SpaceX’s Starlink.
John Wojciewoda, AT&T’s assistant vice president for tower strategy and roaming, said the satellite SOS solution is “a new technology integrated into the phone that allows it to fall back to a satellite connection if the cellular network is unavailable.” .
Satellite connectivity is limited to text messaging, requires certain conditions such as line of sight to work, and may require additional steps to enable depending on your device.
But in the midst of a disaster or major power outage, there are few other options, so even limited options are a good thing.
Satellite SOS is not the only service solution using satellites.
“AT&T also uses satellites to support its wireless network, its cellular network,” Wojewoda said. When a disaster occurs, such as a storm that destroys power or cell phone towers, there is a national team called the Network Disaster Recovery Team. In addition to working to restore coverage, the team can also use satellites to temporarily restore service to cell phone sites.
Earlier this year, Verizon partnered with satellite service provider Skyro to launch direct-to-device messaging on certain smartphones. Verizon and AT&T are both working with satellite communications company AST SpaceMobile on deals that will give them access to space-based cellular broadband networks.
T-Mobile and Starlink’s direct-to-cell phone communications service, which enables wireless emergency alerts and SMS, including sending text messages to 911, was launched ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall, according to a statement from T-Mobile. It is now in effect in Florida and Helen-affected areas. .
“Our first priority has always been to get the terrestrial network up and running, and we want to restore service and we are working very closely, quickly and very hard to do that,” he said. “There is,” he said.
“It was a life saver.”
Being able to use satellite mode on the iPhone was a lifeline, Twersky said.
Being able to text his daughter gave him and his group important information about the storm, roads, and access that they couldn’t get due to cell phone outages.
Groups also worked to cut down fallen trees and remove other debris, but many roads remained closed.
“It had been three days at that point,” Twersky said. “We basically didn’t have any food left. We didn’t have enough water. Some of us needed medicine, but we were running low. We were able to find the satellite. It saved my life.”
Twersky eventually found a family member who came to pick him up.
It was especially hard to see the devastation when they left. But there are also bright spots.
“We saw a side of the community that you don’t normally see, and I think the disaster probably brought that to light,” Twersky said. “It was really amazing to see how the community came together to help everyone.”
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Evolving technology
Satellite SOS has very limited functionality and basically only allows text messages. But technology is evolving, Wojewoda said.
While deploying satellite assets can serve as a temporary solution, companies like AT&T are also working on long-term solutions.
As people increasingly rely on mobile phones to communicate, and as climate change worsens floods, storms and weather events, broader and more permanent solutions are needed.
From a technology perspective, mobile phone networks must have the ability to “always provide connectivity” during a disaster, Wojciełoda said.
Companies are also looking forward to strengthening their networks. AT&T wants to make its network more resilient and is revamping its power backup system, saying it is using “generators, batteries, “We are investing millions of dollars into the system.” AT&T spokeswoman Andrea Huguely said:
The company also worked with Argonne National Laboratory, a federally funded research and development center in Illinois, to examine climate projections and data. AT&T, FEMA, and the Institute created the Climate Risk and Resilience Portal, a hub that provides climate data to public safety and community leaders.
Future-proofing solutions also include a more seamless experience for customers.
“The key is to use cellular technology and integrate it into our network,” Wojcieloda said. “That way, if the terrestrial network goes down, the user’s device will automatically switch to an available satellite.
“This is a rapidly evolving field. There are a lot of new technologies being introduced and making that possible.”
