There are 12.4 percent of the cell sites out of service in the affected areas, according to the FCC’s Disaster Information Reporting System yesterday. It activated DIRS in response to the impact of the August 10, Midwest Derecho in Iowa.
Just under 220 cell sites were not working out of a total 1,770 sites. Most of them, 115, were nonoperational due to power outages, with 90 out for transport reasons and five damaged in the storm.
Cable and wireline companies reported 58,804 subscribers out of service in the affected areas in Iowa; this may include the loss of telephone, television, and/or internet services. All 911 centers were operating in the impact areas and no TV stations reported being off the air. Three FMs and one AM were off the air.
DIRS is a voluntary, web-based system that communications providers, including wireless, wireline, broadcast, cable and Voice over Internet Protocol providers, and satellite providers can use to report communications infrastructure status and situational awareness information during a crisis.
The Commission requests that communications providers that provide service to any areas listed below expeditiously submit and update information through DIRS regarding the status of their communications equipment, restoration efforts, and power, such as whether they are using commercial power or back-up power. Reports are requested at 10:00 a.m. each day to: https://www.fcc.gov/nors/disaster/.
Reader Interactions