Hurricane season here: Here is what really happens when your internet comes out

The interruption of the electrical current and energy is often shortly after large storms, which makes it difficult to check their loved ones. But sometimes, these Internet networks It can take longer to fix. more 974,000 homes and companies Experienced power outages after Hurricane Helen Rural mountain societies On September 27. Anyone in Western Carolinas could have expected, and a storm “one of every 1000 years” worsened due to previous rains and rugged mountainous terrain in the region.

The neighborhoods left Mitchell and Yansi’s provinces without the Internet for weeks after Helen’s destruction. Long after the hurricane washed away in the southeast: 23236 cables and wireless Internet agents were still out of service, according to what he said The last FCC report On efforts to recover Helen from October 19.

Internet service providers are among the first to the ground after a natural disaster, along with the first energy companies and respondents and the Ministry of Transport. So, where the Internet provider begins exactly when it comes to repairing a vast network after a natural disaster – especially those destroyed like Hurin Helen? I spoke with experts from ISPS higher In the country to find out that.

Preparing early

For most Internet service providers, disaster recovery efforts begin long before the hurricane infected with the Earth and requires an advanced technology to repair networks destroyed by storms or other natural disasters.

“The preparation actually begins with any storm,” said Elton Hart, Vice President and Regional Director General of the Atlantic Region. optimum. “We are watching these (storms) as much as we can.”

For medium -sized internet service providers such as optimal companies and major companies such as Verizon and T-MobileThe presence of a disaster recovery plan is necessary – especially in mountainous areas where rural communities may have limited communication. Since hurricanes are more predictable from forest fires, for example, Internet service providers can take preventive measures such as fuel generators, and publish employees and crews to prepare and communicate with customers about the possibility of power outages.

“During the Helene and Milament, we have published more than 800 generators in all the affected states and kept them in their operation,” Stacy Tindal, chief network engineering manager in T-Mobile, told CNET. “Some of them think they are still working today, as there is an extended energy interruption to support those areas.”

Depending on the storm and terrain, Internet service providers must be creative

Even with the preparation, a few weather models predicted Hilin’s Hurricane so far in Apalashia with deadly rain and historical floods. The extent of damage to the roads, bridges and air power lines Fiber cables It resulted in the bloc power failure Through the affected provinces.

“It was one of the few times when the authority decreased by 100 %,” said Hart. “So even if we had a connection, there was no home strength.”

The power outages and fiber cable fibers are the most important reasons that may be closed on the Internet – and survival – during the storm. Most Internet service providers, even fixed wireless Internet service providers, depend on the infrastructure of the optical cables as a state of their networks. Creating the infrastructure for the fiber buried in mountainous areas is difficult and costly, so the weather fiber networks are very common.

Unfortunately, as in the storm like Helen, these weather cables are some of the first victims, as they are easily damaged by falling trees, branches, strong winds, roads flooded by water and subsequent mud collapses.

According to Ministry of Transport NCThere were more than 6900 damaged roads and bridges after Hurricane Helen. To reach network centers and damaged optical fiber lines that Internet service providers have to coordinate with DOT, energy companies and first respondents make their way across the damage areas.

“We were receiving reports of great delay, just the inability to go to the areas that were still overwhelmed by water or cleansing the debris were taking a long time,” said Gina Owens, Vice President of Access Engineering and Verizon access. “This is one position where it is not customary to see a delay in repairing the fiber infrastructure after energy has returned.”

Wireless Internet providers use 5G fiber fiber, as in the case of Verizon and T-Mobile. However, wireless Internet service providers can easily navigate the damage to the fiber network using various technologies to keep people connecting after a large storm.

“We have complete satiety origins that we publish, and in this event, we used the satellites for the low -Earth orbit for publication that were very fast to rise and run,” Owens said.

In T-Mobile, response teams used a variety of technologies to re-connect customers-to ensure that within 72 hours, about 96 % of sites were restored with the service.

In addition to a test a Service from the satellite to the cell with Starlink,, T-Mobile also used a self-regulatory network for “self-self” to improve performance, temporary microwave units and distance aerobic miles to ensure rapid recovery.

“We can do a remote and automatic antenna statue at the top of the (cell) towers so that we can expand our coverage,” said Tindal. “We have done more than 121,000 tilts of the antenna during Hilin and Milton and all of that was far and automatic.”

Your strength is running, but you still have the Internet

Although the authority has slowly returned to the troubled areas due to Hurin, many families are still left without the Internet or any way to communicate with their loved ones.

“Just because the force is returning does not mean that the fiber infrastructure is restored,” Owens said.

Although energy companies may repair columns and restore energy, Internet service providers “may not take the same path to reach you,” said Hart. ISPS depends on multiple fiber tracks to connect your home to the network and re -connect the fiber network requires more time and pay attention to details to avoid damage to the optical fiber cables. Due to the materials made by fiber cables, they should be re -controlled by Strand.

“There can be any place from 12 to 120 strands, where you must return and each of these must be re -delivered,” said Hart.

Even after restoring energy and the Internet to an area, continuous repairs to the surrounding networks can later break up as different companies format fiber lines reinstalling. Some Internet service providers have seen relapse of the network recovery due to expensive repairs to infrastructure – or even the cross -cuts of third -party fiber lines that restore the connection.

rangeOne of the largest Internet service providers in the southeastern region, and according to what was reported, they still had 31.5,000 customers who were separated from October 16 due to the slow infrastructure of the network and destroying it. Network centers. Skyrunner“Helen’s final reforms of Skyrunner undergoing this week” on November 12, after nearly six weeks of Hurricane Helen’s destruction.

Although Owens said Verizon has completely restored its network in Georgia by October 16, there is still a permanent impact on the area, and “rebuilding (took) is much longer than expected.”

“We are still dealing with two main areas inside Georgia, for example, where Owens spoke,” due to the wide damage, not only the initial damage but with the occurrence of cleansing of the debris, road disinfection and rebuilding, things were lowering as we had restoration – things were declining. “

In addition to the network recovery efforts, many Internet service providers-including T-Mobile, Verizon and Optimum-were among a group of Internet providers who have provided Free Wi -Fi Services and shipping stations In all regions affected by Hilal Hurricane.

Although Internet service providers with Hilin Hurricane, hundreds of thousands of customers have seen long -term energy, the Internet and cells. Despite the amazing destruction of the fiber power and infrastructure, finding any means Maintaining the Internet during power outages Or by using Free hot point To reach a member of his family was the lifeline.

What can you do?

Detainment during and after the storm can be terrifying. But there are some steps that you can take to ensure that you and your loved ones are safe.

• Use a backup energy solution like a generator or Energy Bank.
• Use a mobile hot point
• Use the cell backup service such as AT & T Internet Backup, T-Mobile Home Internet Backup or Xfinity Storm Wi-Fi

If it is safe to travel, it often makes the Internet service providers hot points freely after the storm path or send trucks that provide free Wi -Fi and shipping.

Although Internet connection is definitely important to check their loved ones and get invaluable information, your safety must always come first. Think twice before tampering with electrical equipment after the storm, as it could be there Increased power Or other issues in playing. In extreme cases, you can use a radio that works with batteries or manual services to get updates. Keep aware and stay safe.