Cell Service Down Across U.S. : How to Prepare

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[@jojoe2409]

People are not dependent on their phones, they are addicted to their phones!

[@NukaVaultReadiness]

Amen to that.

[@DS..69]

Broads mostly.

[@ryno2175]

Peoples heads will explode if they lose their phones! Total social conditioning!

[@tommcstacker4216]

I know mine will! 🤯

[@toddhollingsworth4248]

I hope this happens in Canada. I might get a decent conversation with my wife!

[@RevolutionaryPrepper-rg9kb]

I guess AT&T won't be able to spy on anybody!

[@EarthHeartUK]

Mine won't explode as we didn't even have a house phone until I was 10 and we never had a computer or microwave. My mother hates technology and just got a computer not that long ago. She calls the remote for the tv the doo da. Her husband, my stepdad, is a scientist and knowledgeable and they prefer books, grow 100 percent of their veggies and fruit in a large polly tunnel. They freeze their food for the winter. They have a large propane tank for cooking. They love their life.

[@vonleiningen]

@ryno2175 Ok, Boomer. Critical infrastructure is digital, wireless, ems use, etc. **shooing away** Go on, Boomer... go... be 6' under now please.

[@dianaross5440]

No phone, great time to catch up on reading, plant a garden, organize your preps. Spring clean the house, garage yard.

[@madtownangler]

I went to a fishing show today...

[@fancythat5136]

Seeds started indoors, potato planting time in the Southeast!

[@nomadicobserver4224]

Unless you need an ambulance.

[@RealNewsChannel]

One day it's all going down and staying down. Prepare accordingly.

[@RobnPhx1]

I'm glad to be from a time when cellphones were nonexistent. I survived just fine then, and will continue to do so when service goes down for a day or never comes back on again.

[@catalhuyuk7]

Me too. We live in the old and new era. Hard copies and hard drives. Two is one…

[@RobnPhx1]

One is none! 👍

[@embracethesuck1041]

I could almost hear the excitement of thousands of hams waiting for just this moment.

[@merlin6625]

They were lit like Christmas!! WNLH out!!

[@chrissewell1608]

As a Ham Radio Operator... I agree! Ha ha... Just to say "I told you assholes!" 🤣

[@ACommenterOnYouTube]

yea because only 75k phones were out of service ... 75k of 245 million is a huge number huh ???

[@BBaldwin]

I’m a General class ham, only for about two years now. After yesterday, a buddy of mine, who I have been bugging to get his license for a year now, is ALL IN to get his Tech license…😂😂😂

[@carnivore1506]

Sad ham’s

[@Jon__G]

This video really makes you think about how dependent we are on our cell phones.

[@chesterarthur8571]

I agree. I leave my phone behind every chance I get. I leave it in the kitchen at nighttime as well. The signal I hear disrupts sleep.

[@joehill2172]

It reminds me of the old days before cell phones, when you had to use your brain. Cell phones are convenient, but not as good as having a brain and using common sense.

[@nickjenkins1663]

sad but true.

[@user-pu6dx6ib6u]

Bingo. I remember when cell phones came out they were a basic tool to talk to others wirelessly to actually TALK. Now we do EVERYTHING on them. Bill pay, banking. Entertainment, work, everything.

[@chrissewell1608]

Thats what its for!?

[@user-pu6dx6ib6u]

A PHYSICAL MAP!!! Yes!!!! I make sure ALL of our vehicles have them for our state and local areas and my girls always roll their eyes.

[@chrissewell1608]

Teach your kids how to read and navigate with a map! Modern phone apps are making kids stupid!

[@bryanbennett972]

It is hard to even find Maps anymore. I still have some old Rand McNally Maps and old State Maps they had in the State Rest Areas on the Highways years ago. I do still have some of the Old US ATLAS MAPS of the entire US & Canada but I think they quit printing them a few years ago.

[@chrissewell1608]

@@bryanbennett972 I agree! Maps are hard to find these days! Who would have thought that Rand McNally would ever dissapear? I too, recently picked up some current state road maps, at various highway Rest Stops.

[@cwpitsenbarger3295]

I enjoyed it. No one calling and bugging me. I drove around doing what I needed and reminded me back to 2002 when I got my licenses and didn't have a cell phone.

[@chrissewell1608]

2002...🤣

[@cwpitsenbarger3295]

@chrissewell1608 that's when I turned 16, but I remember riding my bicycle all over the county through the late 90s if that helps. I'm not old but I have a old soul lol

[@bryanbennett972]

We didn't have any issues here at our house. Having a phone on the desk that plugs directly into the wall plug from the Local phone company worked like a charm through the entire "Outage" as needed. I guess sometimes the Old School Ways work better then all that fancy New Technology.😃

[@ACommenterOnYouTube]

Your location was irrelevant .... It was a SIM database failure

[@bryanbennett972]

@@ACommenterOnKZbin I understand that, I was just making the point that old Landline phones still worked under the "SIM" situation. Thank you though.

[@fancythat5136]

@@bryanbennett972 Yes, I’m looking into getting a land line also…

[@ACommenterOnYouTube]

@@bryanbennett972 My comment was to those that think it was area related which is most people. It didn't matter what part of the country you were in, if your SIM was involved, you lost service. Next nobody even thinks that landlines are SIM related. Next if anything major happens and the internet goes down, YOU are the only 1 with a landline and who are you going to call ??? 95% of business' are on voip which is internet based. 99% of people are on cell phones which is internet based and less than 1% have their landline still so who are you going to call when the internet goes down. ??

[@bryanbennett972]

@@ACommenterOnKZbin I still call my parents on a Landline and they call us on our Landline. They are in their Mid/Late 90's now and they have never had cellphones and don't want them. My wife's parents are in the same boat in their 90's and use a Landline as well. Sometimes you do what you have to for family by keeping things the same for them, so they don't have to worry about things like trying to learn a New Phone Number, etc. Yes, it may cost me/us a little more on our end, but not trying to change things for the Older Folks is just easier sometimes to leave things like they are.

[@TrishReports]

I don't have a cell phone but a landline. I am surviving just the same.

[@soldiersgirl9195]

Oh, landlines work well!!! I still have it

[@marysmith9107]

I have an old fashioned landline phone and an old rotary phone.

[@Cindybin46user-nu4hg2dx6u]

@@marysmith9107 same here, lol

[@TrishReports]

Good for you!@@marysmith9107

[@bryanbennett972]

@@32SQUID Lots of us still have Landlines way out here where we live. Cell Phones don't work in the middle of nowhere. No Signal No Service...

[@joshuamorin2762]

Taking old cell phone Make sure any data you want is off of it then do an original restore connect to the Wi-Fi let it do updates. Turn all of your cell data off take your SIM card out. You can download the maps in Google maps directly to your device and as long as you have satellite signal which is almost everywhere in the world it can use that signal and the pre-downloaded maps to give you Google maps function for direction. May not have destinations or traffic or other alerts, but it will have the map information to get you where you need to go. There's no replacement for paper but having a backup device that you can easily charge in your vehicle or anywhere else that has maps already on it can be used anywhere is very helpful

[@krysium]

Wife keeps a gmrs radio in her car, as does my son in his truck. She works across the street from my kids school. I keep a radio in my bag at the university and have access to the local repeater

[@user-pu6dx6ib6u]

Love this channel. Thank you for taking time out of your daily life to try to help all of us. Hats off to you, sir.

[@5.56Media]

I have several CB radios, portable radios (including GMRS) and scanners. Even if you can't transmit, at least you can listen to information.

[@tarrantcountykid]

The Hammies should all get Satellite 📡 phones too

[@ACommenterOnYouTube]

what good is that going to do you ?? Who are you going to communicate with ???

[@tarrantcountykid]

@@ACommenterOnKZbin Who are going to communicate with the other devices for that matter? The Sat phone calls to the telephone network whoever may have a working phone.

[@ACommenterOnYouTube]

@@tarrantcountykid Sat phones work off cell towers, they are just more powerful than your typical 5 mile smartphone. We do have sat antenna's on our cell sites for sat phones that transmit well over 20 miles, and i personally would NOT want to me near that sat phone antenna when its transmitting unless i DIE emergency.

[@tarrantcountykid]

@@ACommenterOnKZbin you’re talking about Microwave transmitters that communicate between microwave transmitters like what the railway does and MCI started with

[@sempergumbie]

❤Thanks for the SHOUT OUT my friend!❤

[@Patrick-USA86]

Great video you are always looking out for people god bless you

[@barrybueler3356]

No phone going off from people I don’t want to talk to sounds like heaven im all prepped for that 😃

[@EricDaMAJ]

This should be an easy thing to deal with even for an amateur prepper.

[@memphis2houston346]

Spot on as usual 💪🏾👍🏾

[@KurniadiPrathomo-sp5zd]

This kind of video is what preppers really need. Thank you, Sir.

[@ACommenterOnYouTube]

stupid needs this video

[@michael7046]

My phone never went down in missouri,good video brother.

[@arkansasjonesy]

Great info sir!

[@ChrisdeHaan]

So wife and daughter both have AT&T and one had service the other didn’t which leads me to believe it was a backend issue not towers or service in general.

[@BLD-Reviewer]

My wife and I are on the same AT&T plan , We were 20 miles apart here in Ky. I had no service but at the same time she had service...what the heck...

[@nomadicobserver4224]

Yep. That's why I still keep a land line.

[@nickjenkins1663]

I would too. but they have been priced out of practical range for most people.

[@nomadicobserver4224]

@@nickjenkins1663 I am in central Texas. A land line with no frills or extras is roughly $50.00 per month. For many people (and I do realize not all people), knocking out a few luxuries a month would be worth a solid form of communication during emergencies.

[@58MrMike]

This happened in the Northeast yesterday, too. T-Mobile. And others

[@jessicasarmy8896]

Northeast here. We have Verizon and were not affected.

[@ruready2343]

We have t mobil but didn't get effected, parents have att didn't get affected but in-law grandparents who live 2 towns over from my parent's have att too but they did get effected, they had to communicate through Facebook.

[@BrokeBoy912]

Time to get them CB Radios back out.

[@soldiersgirl9195]

Handheld walkie-talkie as well

[@32SQUID]

CB's reach .25 mile. Walkie talkies reach 200 feet. Both are junk unless you're super close.

[@jacobprevost9962]

Ummm, no not unless you have the worst CB/antenna ever. ​@@32SQUID

[@anthonytripp2251]

Depends on line of sight. Even the cheap little walkies will reach five miles or more if there is no obstruction.

[@heidigib01]

Ironically I held onto my landline years and years after everyone I knew. I’ve not had it for a few years and NOW I’m kicking myself, lol.

[@cherylT321]

I still have mine as the primary way to reach me!

[@FatherDuck80]

Just bought not a single thing because of this outage. In fact it’s like being in the 1970’s again 👍

[@donaldchittenden671]

Ham radio works all the time . This is a great back up. Also land lines.

[@paulfryejr2918]

Good advice thanks

[@dugger5302]

Great info!

[@ronaldrose7593]

Hello 👋 my friend, sincere thanks for sharing this informative video. You are correct, all of us need to have access to alternate forms of communication. 😊

[@Dee-im7zd]

Out yesterday in Kansas . No problems today. Wasn’t a big deal for me.

[@frankz4900]

Good video Sootch

[@octopets]

It happened on the west coast also but everyone was asleep so there weren’t as many reports. That’s why the maps on outages look like they only happened on the east coast. I live in California and I lost service along with everyone I know.

[@Paulstluke]

I wish the internet would go down at least for 10 years, back to the good ole days, aahhh bliss

[@johngoodin3445]

Everyone seems to forget that passive communication is better than no communication whatsoever. I’m talking about standard AM and FM radio. And they’re only as good as the antenna. A very small simple way of making your FM radio super powerful is simply to attach an alligator clip to a wire. Alligator clip the wire to your regular FM rod to the wire to vastly improve its performance efficiency and range. The longer the wire is the better. Toss the wire high up over a tree branch and you’ll be able to get stations well outside of your regular range. One of my bug out radios can only pick out three stations if the antenna is fully retracted and 21 to 23 stations if I connect it with an alligator clip to a cable. You mentioned shortwave. Did you know that back in the days when radio first came out that they called what we now call AM another name. Just look at the old antique radios of years ago. They labeled AM as LW or Long Wave. Just like SW or Short Wave they used a really long vertical wire to pull in stations. Just search KZbin for “external AM antenna” and make your own without having to modify your radio in any way.

[@jonesey65244]

I am a LOT of things. But "dependent on cell phone" is NOT one of them.

[@user-sk7zc1fc5u]

same here.

[@derekcomingo2197]

Man great insider tips.

[@paemtff9412]

Old fashioned gps devices…. and even older fashioned maps/atlas.

[@dhpreparedness7116]

Agreed! I’ve had very good luck finding old GPS units at thrift stores. Usually about $5 and so far every one of them has worked! One in each car and a few spares.

[@georgemarcouxjr6192]

They are called compasses.

[@hmintzer]

Amateur radio has a history of getting messages through. From phone patches from military bases to home, to local repeaters. The key to the phones down scenario is the National Traffic System. Hams have an organized system to deliver messages to local hams. In this event, the NTS would be able to get messages to local hams. I have told my kids to identify the local club so that we can communicate in this event. Cheers

[@tuzu1758]

I'm just down the road from you. Mine is up and running.

[@Mittenman313]

SE, Michigan here and I didn't lose service yesterday. I have Verizon.

[@dondon98]

Thank you Sir .. short concise video on what to know what to do and what to get instead of a long drawn out video that is not consistent... You are a GOOD AMERICAN and are APPRECIATED....

[@TRINITY-ks6nw]

Thanks!

[@Race_Fans_United]

For maps, I really like the Gazatteers for your areas.

[@bigtrev761]

🇦🇺😎👍They turned off our phone a while back . I guess they were testing our reaction

[@ericwitt4586]

👍thanks buddy

[@MyRebel44]

I have straight talk and had no problems.

[@davearonson5416]

Having 2 cell phones on 2 different carriers is a big plus ….if 1 goes down, having the other is great piece of mind

[@BLD-Reviewer]

My wife and I are on the same AT&T plan , We were 20 miles apart here in Ky. I had no service but at the same time she had service...what the heck...

[@STF68]

Yep I am on T-Mobile, wife is on AT&T.

[@johngoodin3445]

One prepper I saw at a Goodwill years ago said he cared a simple hardware, telephone as a back up. Simply try connecting it to a regular phone jack. You should still be able to dial 911 even if house didn’t have any service.

[@mikea9456]

First step before attack , knock out the communications.

[@furtrapper11]

It’s good to have some books to pass the time

[@NukaVaultReadiness]

Going through the different comms to find out what works well may be tedious at times, but far worth it in the end. This coming from the Ham of my family.

[@Crangaso]

Still listen to the radio, it's indispensable. Got a shortwave that runs of AA with AM/FM/SW & NOAA emergency channels. I've CB and FRS radios for emergency family use. Also have the radio for Walker's Ear Muffs compatible with FRS radios. A dedicated GPS with preloaded maps works well even if the sat signal is down or it's knocked out. Emergency escape ladders from Kidde are real good.

[@32SQUID]

Escape ladders? This was an SOS from land, not water. Not a boat. Not marine.

[@Crangaso]

@@32SQUID Clearly you didn't fully watch the video or you would've heard Sootch mention escape ladders from 2nd floor bedrooms.

[@32SQUID]

@@Crangaso I never watch the whole video

[@32SQUID]

@@Crangaso Escape ladders don't help you communicate with someone 200 miles away.

[@Crangaso]

@@32SQUID Did I not mention CB & shortwave Radio

[@Robowx]

It wasn't down all over the country. Had cell and internet service all day. No problems.

[@midwestfisherman2992]

I also have a Garmin GPS in my car. When we were at Nova Scotia, there was no cell phone signal in many places, Garmin GPS helped us to navigate in the mountains.

[@derekcomingo2197]

Maine definitely a part of that

[@kimperry9039]

Did you see the CNN report where ATT was asking to no longer support landlines. I think it was in California.

[@gavinchurch6109]

The outages where from sunspots eruptions people need to get that straight

[@socrates2706]

Need to keep a compass with the maps.

[@extendedp1]

As far as cell phone service goes, it’s not a good idea to have the whole household on the same carrier. If it isn’t financially viable to break up a family plan with someone on a different service, you could get an old phone and sign it up for a low priced Prepaid plan on a different carrier’s MVNO. As an example, Tello offers plans for $10 a month that run on the T-Mobile network. If your primary phone is Att or Verizon, for $10 you can have a backup in case of a carrier specific outage.

[@r.f.pennington746]

The biggest takeaway is this: we are responsible for our own _______ (fill in the blank). When things are going well, it's a well-oiled machine. When the plop-plop hits the rotary oscillator, not so much so. Try a day or three without your cellphone. I'm on day 10. There's adjustments that need to be made.

[@kybutterfly9489]

Appreciate your videos!! Looking for recommendations on a solar panel kit for cell phones and radios. Thanks

[@halledwardb]

Ham APRS is highly under rated, its a fowarded service taking mtiple paths so its slow and hard to kill. Only takes a tech license and 2m radio.

[@MujoNovak]

when "grid down" you dont need license

[@nickjenkins1663]

​so true.

[@halledwardb]

@@MujoNovak untrue

[@MujoNovak]

looks like you dont know whats "grid down". and by the way if life is in danger you can use what ever you have.@wardb

[@ke8mattj]

​@@MujoNovak No. Only if your life is in danger and you have no other options. Your definition of emergency does not jive with the definition of emergency of first responders.

[@BigRoss246]

Waze with the Master Chief voice. Awesome

[@Jaybird-oo3ih]

C crane makes an awesome little emergency radio

[@itsasinine3337]

I lost my signal yesterday, got it back midafternoon same day

[@caltiki3090]

Thanks Sootch double zero !!

[@claytongross5657]

Hmm, well, I guess I'll go back to the way things were before cellphones. See, I grew up in the time of pagers and payphones and landlines that had wires long enough for 15 people to jump rope at the same time. I can't wait to see everyone freak out 😆

[@byteslammer4817]

If you're going to use a ladder that rolls out of a second floor window because of fire on the first floor, be careful to choose a window that is not directly above a window on the first floor.

[@victoryhasdefeatedyou6453]

Staples is a good source for maps and or a atlas as well

[@robgrey6183]

When I was somewhat younger I lived on an island in a huge lake in northern Canada. No electricity, no running water, no phone, no internet. I lived there for some years in quiet contentment. I had books and a short wave radio. Now I live on 20 acres at the end of the line in the Wyoming mountains up against the Idaho border, with all the modern amenities, but with off grid capability. I have even more books, and a better radio. Bring on the collapse.

[@michaelduke4500]

Heck, it was almost half a day before I even knew mine was down.

[@debhaney6944]

Truckers have satellite and was out also yesterday

[@Rusted_Link]

Armature radio, GMRS radio and have multiple carriers. I have AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile! A phone only plan is $10 a month.

[@chrissewell1608]

But all 3 of those cell phone carriers went down, the other day!

[@Rusted_Link]

@@chrissewell1608 amateur and GMRS and in my neck of the woods Verizon and T-Mobile were unaffected. I also heard that the Verizon and T-Mobile users that reported outages were trying to call AT&T users, doh 🤣

[@monicagould8136]

Maps are available at AAA store , the auto insurance company. Thank you for all your help

[@ricardogomez2133]

Gave up our landline after holding out until last year, we only have cell service now. It was a totally financial decision after retiring. Land line kept increasing the cost until one landline was more expensive than two cell phones.

[@user-sk7zc1fc5u]

That's what I find out, also.

[@Messymy]

Landline repair and service was terrible. Out for a month th e second time and they wouldn't let me cancel for another month ev r n though no service.

[@user-sk7zc1fc5u]

@@MessymyPoor customer service people who spoke in foreign language I couldn't understand. I had to wait for over a month before the limited repair service could fix the line and I had to pay for the service I didn't get.. I have a cell now but I live in a metal building (no reception) and even outside I have to drive one to 8 miles for reception depending on the weather.

[@PepeDeezNutz]

PSA was hacked Thur. Total shutdown of EVERYTHING

[@henrymorgan3982]

This is just the beginning.

[@user-ns4yk1lm7j]

Verizon also read sos that morning but was up soon in our area

[@JohnSmith-dh4gw]

My landline is fiber optic now so if we have a blackout my landline goes down too. I have a generator but I don't know if that will keep my landline operational. I'm going to research that.

[@pedrocruz4828]

Happend in Chicago.

[@stargypsysoul604]

It takes emergency services about 20 mins to sometimes 45 to get out to us. We’re about 8 miles each way from the big cities, but just not enough. So my kids and I are going to re-new/take first aid, trauma and other trainings, so we can always be prepared. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to stop severe bleeds, or stitch myself up. Sometimes it’s just better too, especially with not enough medical staff here ❤

[@floridaguy1133]

I went and did my work as if it were any other day then went home and did yard work. Those of us that grew up without having a cellphone it wasn't that big of a deal.

[@Jameshawk105]

Always know where your closest fire department is I've had to go there before in an emergency

[@J.Young808]

I didn’t notice an outage over here in Honolulu as I was asleep during the outage. I still have a landline at my house.

[@johnsonoutdoors8117]

My service went out on my phone yesterday, including texting. Luckily for me soon, i'm going to have a direct line from me to dispatch in a radio. Currently, though, if I get paged out, I have to call dispatch, so I could be on the way to a call and no one else would know.

[@w3tua]

I have a satellite messenger that works when cell networks go down. In addition, I am an experienced ham radio operator that has operated in field environments and know what works. With that being said, there are many hams and preppers that have never used their radios in a simulated 'real' environment. Practice ahead of time and have a plan with other operators for when comms go down. I, too, have hard copy maps and know how to use them. I"m an old-school soldier that learned how to move out without technology and those old skills come in handy.

[@angel19642001]

I lost my cell service but I got it back about 5hrs later

[@alanmitchell6302]

If you have a power out you can use a generator and a old radio you can do some things but no cell phone coverage is out of our control

[@TheGr8Brewski]

Cell service is upgraded every few years, I was on Verizon years ago and the service went down, I’m currently with AT&T, been through it many times. You could still call through WiFi if you turn it on.

GREW UP WITHOUT THEM DONT NEED THEM DO WANT THEM

[@rob.1102]

And yesterday healthcare was affected. Medicare wasn’t paying for any medication because of “major privacy breach”

[@kevinvoss220]

I hope all Internet goes down and we go back to the old days when times were good.

[@cheryl1205]

Walmart still sells maps, much cheaper than gas stations. I keep a US map and state map (my state of course) in my glovebox.

[@floridadad2817]

Do we really have to prep for a day of no cellphone service? I thought it was vacation.

[@michaelschiessl8357]

Get a landline is the best advice!!

[@martinglommen7598]

Why do people actuality believe that during a major grid down, EMP, major cyber attack, or cold war attack that their favorite local familiar am -fm station will be fully staffed, up and running, uninterrupted???