Will a total solar eclipse disrupt cell phone service?

CNN
—

As millions of people are plunged into darkness during Monday's total solar eclipse, spectators will hold their phones up to the sky to capture the moment. But could a surge in mobile phone usage cause a network outage?

From city centers to rural towns, network providers and public servants are seeing significant increases in mobile phone and Wi-Fi network traffic, as an influx of eclipse tourists puts pressure on major providers to keep networks online. He says he is preparing for an increase.

The path to wholeness — Places where you can see the moon completely blocking the sun's face draw thousands of tourists to states from Texas to Maine. Travelers rely on the network infrastructure of these regions. They are using social media, live streams, and video calls to commemorate their experiences.

The eclipse itself does not affect wireless networks. But the influx of tourists into cities and towns creates an environment akin to a football game or concert in a crowded stadium. The larger the audience, the harder it will be to find a cell phone connection.

“Locations at the center of the totality orbit will see a significant increase in cell phone use, especially during and immediately after the totality period,” said Cati Pirakowski, an astronomy professor at Indiana University Bloomington. CNN interview.

Bloomington last saw a total solar eclipse in 1869, and a total solar eclipse will occur Monday that could draw hundreds of thousands of tourists.

“Solar eclipses are very often seen as a sharing activity,” Pirakowski said, noting that people will take photos and videos and share those images with others.

AT&T expects network traffic to increase during the total period as people “pick up their devices to capture and share content,” according to a company spokesperson.

When the last total solar eclipse disrupted its path across the United States in 2017, AT&T reported up to a 15% spike in network usage around certain cell towers in the path of the eclipse. .but The company experienced an outage that affected millions of people in February, but said on Monday it was ready. “The eclipse itself will not have a direct impact on our wireless networks,” an AT&T spokesperson said in an email.

Other major providers like Verizon and T-Mobile also expressed confidence in AT&T ahead of Monday's stargazing.

“We do not expect the 2024 solar eclipse to impact our network operations,” Verizon spokesman Chris Celico told CNN.

verizon says it has developed U.S. infrastructure across the eclipse path over the past year.Seriko said: wireless The provider built and activated 19 new cell sites in Niagara and Erie counties in New York state. Along the path to wholeness from the beginning of 2023.

In Northeast Ohio, Verizon activated 60 new cell sites in six counties located on the integrity pathway. In the Dallas area, Verizon activated 375 new cell sites.

“We are confident that the additional capacity we have added to our network over the past few years will be able to handle the increased data usage in areas where people will gather to experience this event,” Celico said.

T-Mobile also said it is deploying additional temporary mobile sites on standby in areas expected to see high tourist traffic. These Portable Sites (Cellular on Wheels) are called COWs for short.

Major mobile phone providers have also benefited from 5G innovations since the last eclipse. AT&T is expanding its 5G network to serve more than 295 million people in the largest 24,500 cities and towns across the United States.

“All 5G deployments and upgrades have been incorporated into our network since the last solar eclipse across the United States in 2017,” Verizon's Celico said.

In New York state, where it will be the first total solar eclipse in nearly 100 years, state and local governments have been working with wireless providers to prepare for more than a year.

“Airlines are aware of the influx of people expected to visit New York for this event and have conducted on-site audits and evaluated coverage maps,” a spokesperson for the New York State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services said. said spokeswoman Heather Grohl. Email.

Nevertheless, those involved Expect large numbers of visitors: up to 1 person possible in Buffalo, New York a million Rochester, New York, is expected to draw between 300,000 and 500,000 visitors, Grohl said. This means people in these areas may experience regular service interruptions.

“Visitors and New Yorkers alike should expect limited coverage in locations of large gatherings and plan accordingly,” Grohl wrote in an email.

Disruption is expected in some cities, but it all depends on the number of people using the towers and the specific capacity of the area, said NASA program scientist Lisa Winter.

“In crowded areas, that may be difficult if many people are using the same tower,” Winter said in an email.

The city of Bloomington has worked with service providers to deploy COW in areas with limited coverage, Rick Dietz, director of the city's Office of Information Technology Services, said in an email.

He said providers have indicated that regular calls can be made, but data services may be strained or unavailable.

In Little Rock, Arkansas, city officials said they were not concerned about cell phone service disruptions.

“We believe that the state and federal governments “We have primarily allocated resources to rural areas of the state where access to cell phone networks may be limited,” Little Rock spokesman Aaron Sadler said in an email. “The City of Little Rock does not have similar coverage concerns and we hope we do not experience any network issues in the coming week.”

people traveling To view the eclipse, you'll need to plan accordingly, including downloading maps and directions ahead of time and carrying them offline in case connectivity is poor.

Whether you're using your phone or not, the most important thing is to enjoy the experience, Pirakowski said.

“A total solar eclipse is unlike any other experience that humans can have. It's so profound that it gives us a connection not just to nature but to the universe,” she said. “We are connected to the sun and the moon and to the entire wide universe in a way that we don't normally experience. So this is a profound moment that we all want to feel and share.”