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HomeAt Home & BeyondStaying Connected in the Wake of the Storm

Staying Connected in the Wake of the Storm

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With Hurricane Milton wreaking havoc across the state of Florida, over 100,000 residents are without power. During, and directly after natural disasters, staying connected to the outside world is crucial.

If you are stranded or need other forms of aid, this could mean the difference between life and death. Fortunately, Android and Apple offer emergency services for citizens who lose power during these catastrophes.

Satellite texting is a newer feature to Android devices that allows those without cell signal or Wi-Fi to at least be able to communicate via text. It is limited to 911 texts, however, and was only available to Google Pixel phones (the 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, and 9 Pro Fold variants), ZDNET’s Artie Beaty wrote on Wednesday.

To send a satellite text, the owner must have Google Messages as their default messaging app as well as follow these steps:

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Dial 911 –> tap “Use Satellite SOS” –> press “Start.”

Answer questions regarding the emergency.

Follow prompt to connect to the right satellite. The outdoors are best for reception.

In the wake of Milton’s destruction, this service has been opened to T-Mobile users through a partnership with SpaceX, the extraplanetary announced in an X post on Tuesday:

“In addition to the thousands (>10k) of Starlink kits we are delivering in response to Hurricane Helene, the @Starlink team and @TMobile activated our Direct to Cell satellites to provide emergency alerts for all phones and carriers of those in affected areas.”

This collaboration opens an additional avenue by not only allowing those who are affected to communicate with authorities, but with friends and family as well. Citizens will know this feature is available once “T-Mobile SpaceX” appears as the network name on their device, Beaty continued.

IPhones are a simpler matter. ZDNET’s Lance Whitney reported that Apple offers a trio of services to iPhone 14, 15, and 16 owners: Emergency SOS via Satellite, the Find My app, and Messages via Satellite.

With Emergency SOS, there are a few easy steps to follow:

Dial 911 –> tap “Emergency Text via Satellite” once a message with a red SOS sign appears.

OR select “Emergency Services” on 911 text threads on Messages.

Provide details about the emergency.

Ensure device is connected to the satellite.

With the Find My app, users can update their location even without cell or Wi-Fi coverage, Whitney added. In addition to a newer model, iOS 18 is necessary for SMA and Messagess to communicate with friends and family through Satellite signal.

The tech giant offers demos for users to try out some of these features before the dire need arises. They can be found by going into the phone’s Settings and selecting either the Emergency SOS or App (then Messages) options.

The Hernando County Government is also doing their part to alleviate communication concerns for their citizens. In a Wednesday Facebook post, the county stated:

“Effective now through October 13, Spectrum announced it will help residents stay connected by offering free, unlimited access to Spectrum Wi-Fi access points in Florida.”

A map of these locations can be found at https://www.spectrum.com/internet/wifi-access-points. These services are strictly intended for emergency use only. The Sun will continue to monitor Milton and other such storms and moving forward.

Austyn Szempruch
Austyn Szempruch
Austyn Szempruch is a Graduate with Distinction, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. He's written numerous articles reporting on Florida Gators football, basketball, and soccer teams; the sports of rugby, basketball, professional baseball, hockey, and the NFL Draft. Prior to Hernando Sun he was a contributor to ESPN, Gainesville, FL and Gator Country Multimedia, Inc. in Gainesville, FL, and Stadium Gale.
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