The Canadian Telecommunications Association (CTA) has launched an awareness campaign sharing best practices to prepare for possible power and network outages ahead of storm season, especially as Atlantic Canadians prepare for extreme weather this weekend.
“Extreme weather events such as hurricanes, wildfires and snow and ice storms are becoming increasingly common, putting Canadians at risk and damaging their property,” said ACT President and CEO Robert Ghiz. “While telecommunications providers continually invest in strengthening their networks to better withstand such events, power supplies, towers, cables and other equipment can still be compromised, sometimes impacting network performance or even causing temporary service outages.” For this reason, we encourage individuals to: taking the necessary precautions to stay connected in the moments that matter. »
The campaign includes actions to take before, during and after the storm.
Before a storm, the association recommends that individuals monitor the weather, prepare for emergency alerts, charge their devices and have backup power for essential communications equipment such as an Internet modem, Wi-Fi router and cordless phone.
During the storm and immediately after, users are advised to conserve battery on their devices by reducing screen brightness and turning off Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and location services when not needed. Additionally, avoid using cellular networks for data-intensive, non-emergency Internet usage, such as streaming videos.
In addition, the association recommends that users send text messages or emails to interact with others and avoid telephone calls (unless necessary) to avoid network congestion and to keep telephone calls as short as possible.
Additionally, if a call is not connected, wait at least 10 seconds before redialing. The same goes for 9-1-1 calls, as the connection may take longer due to increased network congestion following an emergency. If users are still unable to make an emergency call, they can try removing or deactivating the SIM card from their device, as in rare cases the presence of the SIM card may prevent a device from activating. Connect to an alternative service provider.
ACT explained: “The cellular service is designed to accommodate 9-1-1 calls to any available cellular network by default, so calling 9-1-1 on your cell phone may still be possible even if your service provider does not have a working cellular network. ” Cell tower nearby or your phone does not have a SIM card. »
Additionally, ACT recommends that individuals use their landline when calling 9-1-1 service to reduce traffic on cellular networks.
The awareness campaign includes print and online advertising running across the Atlantic provinces over the next four weeks, as well as the launch of a new website dedicated to sharing best practices.
The original article is available on IT World Canada, a sister publication of Direction IT.
Adaptation and French translation by Renaud Larue-Langlois.