U.S. authorities in several states, along with telecommunications companies, are gearing up to address a potential service disruption next month that is expected to affect millions of Americans, rendering their mobile phones out of service and hindering their ability to communicate, which could disrupt certain businesses and operations.
According to information published by the British newspaper "Daily Mail," millions of tourists are expected to flock to specific locations in the United States to witness and observe the "totality" of the solar eclipse, which will occur on April 8, next year. Authorities and telecommunications companies have indicated that this will impact mobile phone services, potentially leading to outages.
The report states that approximately one million people are expected to travel to Texas, 500,000 to Ohio, and nearly 400,000 to Arkansas. Officials in these states fear that the increased demand for services may result in delayed connections or a complete loss of calls.
To alleviate the burden on many American cities, T-Mobile has begun deploying additional cell sites that will be on standby in areas expected to see high tourist traffic. In a small town in Ohio, which can accommodate 250,000 visitors, Verizon is constructing a mobile tower ahead of this rare cosmic event.
Rebecca Owens, director of the Emergency Management Agency in Richland County, stated, "Cell phone (reception) will be very spotty," adding, "There will be a lot of connection problems and that sort of thing."
A spokesperson for T-Mobile told the "Daily Mail," "The T-Mobile network is ready for the eclipse. Our emergency teams are working with government and local officials across the country to provide additional support as needed for large gatherings."
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon completely blocks the sun's face, briefly turning outdoor areas dark during the day. The phenomenon will be visible to an estimated 32 million people along a narrow path across North America and Central America.
