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If your internet, electricity or mobile service suddenly stops, protect people first, try emergency help, then switch to whatever communication and power routes still work. Do not assume the outage is a cyberattack: the FCC attributed the February 22, 2024 AT&T outage to an equipment configuration error, while a July 2025 Cellcom notice described a separate outage as a cyber incident. During the disruption, use a written contact plan, an offline radio, charged power banks and safe lighting; keep refrigerators closed; and treat unsolicited “restoration” messages as possible scams.
What should I do in the first few minutes?
Start with safety, not diagnosis. Look for fire, smoke, sparking equipment, a gas smell, a downed power line, dangerous heat or cold, and anyone who needs urgent medical attention. Move people away from hazards and do not touch damaged electrical equipment or lines.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute- Attempt emergency help when warranted. Call 911. If the call does not connect, try another genuinely working phone or find a safe way to reach emergency assistance. Do not keep rebooting a router while someone needs urgent care.
- Change the route if the first route fails. A different phone, a nearby working landline or another safe location may be necessary. Do not promise that SOS mode, Wi-Fi calling, an app or text-to-911 will work in every outage.
- Account for everyone. Check children, older adults, neighbors who rely on assistance, and anyone using powered medical equipment.
- Use safe light and power. Bring out a battery flashlight or lantern and charged power banks. Never use a grill, camp stove or generator indoors.
The FCC documented failed 911 attempts during the 2024 AT&T outage and described situations in which an SOS-mode phone could reach another network but not the affected one. The agency reported more than 92 million blocked voice calls and more than 25,000 prevented attempts to reach 911 in that event. Those figures describe that specific incident, not a forecast for your provider. CISA also warns that emergency communications centers can be disrupted, so keep trying a safe alternate route if an emergency call fails.
Is my internet down because of a cyberattack?
You cannot determine the cause from a service interruption alone. A failed connection can result from a local modem problem, a utility outage, weather, maintenance, a network configuration error or malicious activity. Treat the cause as unconfirmed until the provider, utility or a responsible public agency identifies it.
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First determine the scope:
- One device only: Check whether other devices connect. A single-device failure may be a Wi-Fi setting or hardware problem.
- Home Wi-Fi but not mobile data: The broadband connection or home equipment may be affected while the cellular network remains available.
- Electricity and internet together: Concentrate on power safety and battery conservation before troubleshooting networking equipment.
- Several households or services: Check official provider or utility notices through any route that still works. A broad outage still does not prove a cyberattack.
Record the time the interruption began, what equipment is without power, and which services still work. This helps a provider or emergency official without encouraging risky experimentation.
How can I communicate if the internet fails but power remains?
Use the provider’s established status channel through any functioning connection, such as mobile data, but do not assume cellular data is available. A carrier incident can affect voice, text and data at the same time.
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- Check the modem and router’s power indicators. If they are off, verify the outlet or circuit only if it is safe to do so.
- Restart equipment once according to the provider’s instructions. Repeated resets will not repair an external network outage and can make later support harder.
- Try one other device and, if available, a wired connection. This separates a Wi-Fi problem from a wider broadband failure.
- Use mobile data or a public alert channel only if that connection is genuinely working. Do not drive while using a phone or enter an unsafe location merely to find a signal.
A router UPS or other backup battery can keep your modem and router powered during a short household power interruption. It cannot restore the provider’s outside network, neighborhood equipment or electrical grid. Check voltage, connector type and runtime before relying on any backup.
What should I do if the power goes out?
Handle the electrical outage as a separate safety emergency, whether or not a cyberattack is suspected. Use battery-powered lighting, unplug sensitive electronics if there is a risk of surges, and never approach a downed line. Follow local utility instructions about evacuation, restoration and water safety.
Use generators and fuel safely
Place a portable generator outdoors at least 20 feet from doors, windows and vents, with exhaust directed away from the building. Use a battery-powered or battery-backup carbon-monoxide alarm. Never run a generator, vehicle, grill or fuel-burning appliance inside a home, garage, basement or other enclosed area. Follow the generator manufacturer’s grounding, transfer-switch, fueling and extension-cord instructions; an improperly connected generator can energize lines and injure utility workers.
Preserve food and medicine
Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. CDC guidance says a closed refrigerator keeps food safe for up to four hours, while a full closed freezer stays cold for approximately 48 hours; a partly full freezer generally does not last as long. Use appliance thermometers if you have them, and discard food that has been held at unsafe temperatures rather than tasting it to decide.
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Ask the local water authority whether water remains safe to drink, boil or use. Plan for refrigerated medicines, oxygen or other power-dependent medical devices before their batteries run down. Contact a pharmacist, clinician, utility or emergency-management office for instructions specific to the medicine or device. Do not improvise a connection that could damage medical equipment.
Manage temperature and charging
During extreme heat or cold, move to an officially designated cooling or warming location if your home becomes unsafe. Conserve phone battery by lowering brightness, disabling unnecessary radios and checking for updates at intervals instead of continuously. A vehicle can provide charging only when parked safely outdoors and operated according to its instructions; never run a vehicle in a garage.
Can I call 911 when my phone says SOS?
Try 911, but an SOS indicator is not a guarantee that an emergency call will connect. Depending on the phone, carrier and location, SOS may mean the device has lost its normal network, and another network may or may not be reachable.
If the call fails, try again from a location with a safer, clearer signal, use another working phone, or seek emergency help through a safe nearby person or facility. Do not rely on Wi-Fi calling or an internet messaging app unless you have confirmed that both the connection and the service are functioning. Text-to-911 availability and reliability vary by jurisdiction and incident; it is not universal.
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Will texts work if calls will not?
Sometimes. CDC guidance says, “In many cases, text messages will go through when a phone call may not,” because texts can use network capacity differently. That is a possibility, not a guarantee: a documented carrier incident affected calls and texts.
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Send a short message such as “I am safe at home; reply when you can,” rather than repeatedly retrying a long message or sending large attachments. Avoid assuming that an internet-based message is separate from the failure; it depends on data service and may fail with the same incident. Agree on two meeting places and an out-of-town contact before an outage, and include important numbers on paper.
How do I get updates without internet or power?
Use any functioning official or provider channel first: a utility phone line, a working mobile connection, an emergency-management announcement or a provider’s status page. When internet and household power are unavailable, a battery-powered or hand-crank emergency radio can receive local broadcasts if the station is transmitting and reception is available. It still needs power, and a broadcast cannot guarantee complete or neighborhood-specific information.
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Keep a charged power bank and the correct cables for phones, radios and medical devices. Store the radio where it can be reached without searching in the dark, and periodically check batteries and charging capability. Write down local emergency-management, utility, medical and family contacts; a saved number on a dead phone is not a usable plan.
Cross-check dramatic claims. An outage notice should identify the provider or agency, the affected area and a legitimate way to obtain updates. Do not infer that a historical event establishes the cause of a new one.
How should I handle a mobile-service outage?
Test what is actually functioning rather than assuming every mobile feature has failed. Try a brief ordinary text, a voice call and data separately, but stop repeated attempts when the network is congested. If none works, use your written plan, a genuinely working alternate phone or a safe agreed meeting place.
Do not claim that a second carrier will always work: an incident, local damage or shared infrastructure can affect multiple networks. A separate provider is useful only if it has independent coverage, compatible equipment and service in your location. For an emergency, attempt 911 and then change route or seek safe assistance if unsuccessful.
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What should a household plan contain before an outage?
A practical plan reduces decisions when systems are unavailable. Put these items on paper and review them with everyone who may need them:
- Important phone numbers, home address and medical or accessibility information.
- Two meeting places: one close to home and one outside the immediate neighborhood.
- An out-of-town contact who can relay messages if local lines are congested.
- Instructions for medications, refrigerated supplies, mobility equipment and backup batteries.
- Locations of flashlights, radio, power banks, chargers, fire extinguisher and first-aid supplies.
- Utility shutoff information and the rule never to approach a downed electrical line.
Keep a battery-powered emergency radio, portable phone power bank, battery lantern, battery-backup carbon-monoxide detector and refrigerator/freezer thermometer where they are easy to find. A generator and outdoor-rated extension cord require more planning: choose equipment that matches the load, keep it outdoors at least 20 feet from openings, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Is this service-restoration text real?
It may be fraudulent, especially if it demands payment, a password, a verification code or a download before service returns. The FTC’s consumer guidance is direct: “Never click links in unexpected messages.”
- Do not click the link, open an attachment or call the number in the message.
- Find the provider’s contact information on a previous bill, official account statement or the provider’s independently entered website address.
- Check whether the same notice appears through an established app, phone line or official alert channel.
- Never share account passwords, one-time codes or payment details to “restore” electricity, mobile service or broadband.
A legitimate outage can happen at the same time as a scam campaign, so urgency is not proof of authenticity. Report suspicious messages through the provider’s official fraud channel or the appropriate government reporting service after preserving the message as evidence.
What should I do when service returns?
Verify restoration through the provider or utility’s established channel, not an unsolicited link. Check every household member, medical device and food-storage condition. Recharge power banks, replace batteries and return generators only after they have cooled and been refueled safely outdoors.
Reconnect equipment gradually. Confirm that the modem, router, phones and critical devices operate normally, and update contact information in the written plan with what you learned. If a device shows damage, smells burned or behaves unpredictably, disconnect it and seek qualified repair rather than repeatedly powering it on.
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Keep the incident notes—start time, services affected, official notices and any failed emergency-call attempts—for insurance, medical or provider follow-up. There is no universal recovery procedure for a carrier or grid outage, and computer-cleanup software cannot repair an external network or power failure.
Which backup option fits which problem?
| Need | Useful option | What it can and cannot do |
|---|---|---|
| Receive public information without household internet | Battery-powered or hand-crank emergency radio | Needs its own power and a receivable broadcast; local coverage and transmission are not guaranteed. |
| Keep a phone available | Portable power bank with compatible cable | Charges the phone; it does not create a cellular signal or guarantee 911 access. |
| Keep home networking equipment on briefly | Compatible router UPS | Maintains local equipment only while the external broadband network remains available. |
| Power selected appliances during a long outage | Properly operated portable generator | Requires outdoor placement, carbon-monoxide precautions, correct load planning and manufacturer-approved connections. |
| Maintain visibility indoors | Battery-powered lantern or flashlight | Safer than candles; check batteries and keep one accessible in each sleeping area. |
Compare communication routes by what is working locally, not by claims that one route “always works.” Voice calls, ordinary SMS and internet messages use different systems, yet a single incident can disrupt more than one.
Why do the FCC outage examples matter?
They show why diagnosis must remain cautious. In its review of the February 22, 2024 AT&T outage, the FCC attributed the disruption to a network configuration error, not a confirmed cyberattack, while documenting the scale of blocked calls and failed 911 attempts. In a July 11, 2025 notice, the FCC described a Cellcom outage that the provider called a cyber incident. Neither case predicts the cause, duration or restoration time of a new outage in your community.
For a current event, separately verify local provider and utility announcements, emergency-system status, water advisories, shelter instructions and any restoration estimate. Preparedness guidance helps you act safely while the cause is investigated; it is not live outage reporting.
What are the most important mistakes to avoid?
- Assuming every outage is a cyberattack and sharing unverified claims.
- Delaying emergency help while troubleshooting a router or searching for a signal.
- Relying on SOS, Wi-Fi calling, text-to-911 or SMS as guaranteed fallbacks.
- Running a generator, grill or vehicle indoors, or placing a generator too close to openings.
- Opening the refrigerator repeatedly or judging food safety by smell or taste.
- Clicking an unexpected “restore service” link or providing a one-time code.
- Using a router battery as if it could repair the provider’s outside network.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will food last without power?
According to CDC guidance, a closed refrigerator keeps food safe for up to four hours, while a full, closed freezer remains cold for about 48 hours. Times vary with fullness, temperature and how often doors are opened, so use appliance thermometers when available and follow local food-safety advice.
Can a battery radio receive emergency alerts during a cyberattack?
It can receive a broadcast if the station is operating, the signal reaches your location and the radio has power. Keep spare batteries or a hand-crank option, and confirm critical instructions through another official route when one becomes available.
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A second carrier may add resilience only when it has genuinely independent coverage, compatible equipment and service where you live. Shared infrastructure, regional damage or a broad incident can still affect both, so keep non-cellular options and a meeting plan.
What information should I write on my outage plan?
Include your full address, key phone numbers, two meeting places, an out-of-town contact, medical-device and medication instructions, and utility or emergency-management contacts. Paper copies help when phones, accounts or internet access are unavailable.
Can a home UPS fix an internet outage?
A UPS can keep a modem and router powered for a limited time, but only if the outside broadband network is operating. It cannot repair provider equipment, neighborhood infrastructure, a damaged line or a power-grid failure.
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