Editor-DN
You probably know how bad things are in the areas of North Carolina and East Tennessee that were affected by Hurricane Helene. These communities are not as prepared for this type of disaster as other places, and the cleanup process will be slow and painful. We here at Android Central and all Future Brands wish everyone the best and hope that people can get back to normal as soon as possible.
If you want to help victims and survivors, You can donate to the Red Cross. Or sign up as a volunteer.
Unfortunately, Verizon is experiencing unplanned outages in much of the United States with areas affected by Hurricane Helen making communication difficult or even impossible for many. It doesn’t appear the two are connected, as people in unaffected areas across the US are also reporting problems with Verizon. That’s little consolation for those trying to survive another day.
If you’re a Verizon customer, there are two very important things you need to know: Satellite Messaging and Disaster Roaming.
If your phone is equipped with emergency satellite services like the recent iPhones and Pixel 9 series, you can use it to send a message for help.
To enable and use Satellite Messaging on iPhone, go here.
To enable and use Satellite Messaging on your Pixel 9, go here..
With an iPhone, you can also use satellite services for non-emergencies, so don’t be afraid to text your friends and family. They want to hear from you.
I realize this may not help those who can’t connect, but if you can, visit and share these links — especially with responders and volunteers.
Another important thing to know is that the state of North Carolina has enabled it. Disaster Roaming Principle. This means that anyone with any phone can connect to any available cellular provider provided your phone has the correct network capabilities (it probably does). This means Verizon customers can connect using AT&T or T-Mobile infrastructure to make calls and send messages.
This is important because not everyone has a new phone that can connect to satellites, especially in the rural areas that are most affected by Hurricane Helian. The list of satellite-enabled Android phones is unfortunately slim, but there are several companies to work To make it more ubiquitous across devices and carriers (Motorola even launched a device that brings satellite connectivity to more or less any phone). Hopefully disasters like this can help provide a little extra urgency to get these services off the ground. Until then we have to make do with what we have.
To use disaster roaming, all you need to do is go to your phone’s network settings and make sure roaming is enabled. Don’t worry – it won’t cost you anything and can hook you up in a pinch.
Verizon will sort things out in due course, but until then, some people need to be able to use their phones. Playing games and using social media can be fun, but the primary purpose of your smartphone is still to stay in touch with the people you care about and care about.
If you or your friends and family have been affected by Hurricane Helen, I hope they are safe and well. Material things can be changed, and there should be plenty of help in the coming weeks and months.
Satellite SOS when you need it.
The Pixel 9 isn’t just a fun AI phone — it also comes with potentially life-saving Satellite SOS connectivity that can get you help when you’re in an area with no cell coverage. This is especially helpful when experiencing major network outages.
