As Hurricane Debby approaches the East Coast, residents are preparing for severe storms that could result in significant power outages. The Category 1 storm, which made landfall along the Gulf Coast on Monday, has already left nearly 200,000 residents in Florida and Georgia without power. With its sustained wind speeds of up to 73 miles per hour, the hurricane is expected to bring heavy rains and more power disruptions.
Verizon offers several options to keep customers connected during power outages. One of the best solutions is using a smartphone’s hotspot. Customers can purchase a hotspot device for $79.99 or $2.22 per month for 36 months, providing unlimited WiFi.
The company’s cell sites are equipped with generators and backup batteries, ensuring the Orbic Speed Mobile Hotspot can maintain a connection even if major power lines are down. AT&T allows customers to use their wireless devices or hotspots to stay connected. The company ensures its regional networks function during power outages by testing high-capacity backup batteries at cell sites and deploying generators to critical areas.
Customers can use hotspot data on their devices as a substitute for WiFi in case of outages.
Residents prepare with hotspot solutions
Spectrum offers mobile hotspot options to customers with Unlimited and Unlimited Plus plans.
These plans provide between five to 10 gigabytes of data at high speeds, after which the speed reduces to 600 Kbps for the rest of the billing cycle. The plans also offer unlimited talk, text, and data, with speeds reducing after hitting specific data thresholds. T-Mobile prepares for storm outages by equipping its cell towers with backup generators and batteries.
The company provides 50 gigabytes of high-speed mobile and hotspot data with plans like Go5G Next and Go 5G Plus. After using 15 gigabytes of hotspot data, speeds drop to between 256 Kbps and 128 Kbps. Customers can also purchase a rechargeable hotspot device for $198, which can connect multiple devices, including phones, laptops, and tablets, to the internet.
As Hurricane Debby continues to impact the East Coast, taking steps to secure internet access can help keep residents connected. By utilizing hotspot devices and taking advantage of the provisions made by companies like Verizon, AT&T, Spectrum, and T-Mobile, customers can maintain communication and access vital information during power outages. It is important to stay safe and prepared as the severe weather approaches.
