The aftermath of Hurricane Helene has left numerous communities across North Carolina in a communication blackout. Despite ongoing efforts to restore cell phone service, many areas, especially in rural Western North Carolina, remain without connectivity, causing widespread concern among residents and emergency services.
Slow Return of Cell Service in Affected Areas
Cell phone service is slowly starting to return to some of the larger towns impacted by Hurricane Helene, including Asheville. However, the restoration process has been uneven, with many smaller, remote communities still stuck without any signal. WBTV reached out to Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and state emergency officials for updates, but specifics regarding network outages and restoration timelines remain scarce.
North Carolina Emergency Management Director William Ray emphasized the importance of improving network access across Western North Carolina. During a news conference on Tuesday, Ray urged residents in dead zones to periodically restart their phones to help establish connections as network repairs continue.
Challenges in Restoring Cell Service
Restoring cell service after Hurricane Helene has posed significant challenges. Stacy Tindell, T-Mobile’s Senior Director for National Network Emergency Management, spoke to WBTV about the difficulties involved, which include washed-out roads, damaged bridges, and fallen trees obstructing access to critical infrastructure.
“Each site has to be reconned. We have to go look and see what the issue is so that we can provide the proper repair,” Tindell explained. Unfortunately, this is not possible in some of the more remote areas of Western North Carolina. According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), there are currently 425 road closures and 700 damaged sections of road, complicating access for utility crews.
One of Tindell's teams faced extreme difficulty reaching a repair site earlier this week due to an unreported road closure. “There was a new road closure that hadn’t been reported, and we had to turn around and find a completely different way around,” Tindell said, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the challenges on the ground.
Primary Causes of Service Outages
The main culprits for the non-existent cell service in North Carolina are power outages, disrupted or severed fiber connections (known as backhaul), and damage to tower sites. To address the power issue, T-Mobile has installed portable generators at more than 250 sites across North and South Carolina where power has yet to be restored. However, full restoration will require both recon and repair efforts that are often delayed due to infrastructure damage caused by the hurricane.
Temporary Solutions for Communication
To mitigate the communication issues, T-Mobile and other carriers have deployed temporary solutions. Trucks equipped with mobile satellite dishes, known as SatCOLTs (Satellite Cell on Light Truck), have been set up in various locations to provide call, text, and data services. In Cherokee, a SatCOLT truck has been deployed to support the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, offering improved coverage compared to standard hotspots.
The Importance of Communication Infrastructure in Natural Disasters
The extended cell service outages in North Carolina highlight the critical role communication infrastructure plays during and after natural disasters. Communications are essential not only for keeping residents connected with loved ones but also for supporting first responders and emergency services. Tindell emphasized this, saying, “We know that communications are a lifeline for not only our customers, but also first responders, emergency services, and everyone trying to connect with their families.”
The utility crews tasked with repairing tower sites and establishing temporary solutions have been making their way north from Florida ever since Hurricane Helene made landfall. Despite the challenging conditions, Tindell reassured residents, “Our teams are working around the clock to restore connectivity as quickly and safely as possible.”
What Comes Next for North Carolina?
State officials and major service providers are committed to restoring cell service across all affected areas, but a specific timeline remains unclear. For now, residents are encouraged to remain patient, check on neighbors, and utilize emergency shelters and other resources provided by state authorities.
The ongoing restoration efforts serve as a reminder of the vulnerability of rural areas during natural disasters. Unlike urban centers, rural communities often lack redundancy in power and communication infrastructure, leaving them at risk for prolonged service disruptions.
Preparing for Future Emergencies
The lessons learned from Hurricane Helene underscore the need for improvements in infrastructure resilience and emergency response plans across North Carolina. State and local officials are calling for better community preparedness, urging residents to establish backup communication plans and stay informed through local emergency broadcasts in the event of future outages.
As power is restored and backhaul repairs are completed, more communities across North Carolina are expected to regain cell service in the coming days. In the meantime, residents are urged to stay connected through whatever means are available, ensuring safety and communication as the state recovers from this devastating storm.
