Cell signals and land lines can be jammed with the massive amount of calls flowing in and out of an area- but TEXTING can get through. And in the case of the Boston Marathon tragedy, some cell service was shut down altogether.
- Don’t call. Leave the lines open for first responders.
- Text. AT&T recommends using text messages rather than voice calls to avoid getting stymied by network congestion–the smaller data packets can often sneak through while the larger voice files get stuck.
- Use Apps. While cell networks and phone lines are
generally limited to one communication protocol, apps like GroupMe,
Twitter, or Facebook Messenger can reach out and touch in several
different ways.
If You’re the loved one we’re trying to reach:
- Get to a hardwired data connection. If you’re in an affected area, a cable internet connection might be your best bet–these fatter pipes are made to handle larger surges of traffic, and have a decent track record of withstanding worst case scenarios.
- You tell us! Email your mom, update your Facebook status, tweet your condition and whereabouts. Whether you’re totally fine or in desperate need of help, let the viral nature of the internet work for you. You’d be surprised how many people are worried.
- **VERY SMART**Update your voicemail message. If you can make only one call, make it to your voicemail. Change your outgoing message, so when folks try to reach you and the call goes straight to voicemail, they still get updated on your status.
