Depending on where you live, winter weather could mean several feet of snow with negative temperatures or it could mean chilly winds in the 50s and 60s. This year, most of the United States is seeing freezing temperatures with snow and ice. So what effect does this have on your telecom, internet, and wireless connectivity?
It’s not the cold that makes the impact as much as the destructive winds or buildups of ice and snow.
These elements cause down power lines and damage to cell towers and other important infrastructure, impacting users’ connectivity. All internet types are not created equal though. For example, fiber internet is less susceptible to inclement weather patterns due to its structure and set-up. Satellite internet isn’t as popular as it once was, but it is the most susceptible to changes in weather. Underground copper lines can also snap when the ground gets too cold.
The weather itself isn’t always what causes interruptions.
The way people react when there is a change in weather can arguably make a bigger impact than any down lines or damage. If there is a big storm or city-wide power outage, cell towers could be overloaded with calls. If winter weather has people staying inside there could also be increased usage of internet for streaming shows or playing games on devices such as tablets or smartphones. Another way that weather can play a role in connectivity is where your router is located. If a router is located in a colder area of the house, a user might move to a warmer area instead putting a larger distance between the user and the router. A remedy for that would be a signal booster that can typically be found for around $50 online or in most retailers.
Residential consumers don’t usually have a back-up connection so they typically end up waiting out the storm so providers can get crews out to fix the issue. Since businesses rely on their voice and data, backup internet connections are imperative to staying connected.
Sometimes there really is nothing to do but wait it out, but there are some exceptions.
Verify! offers continuity plans so businesses can stay connected no matter what happens to their phone systems or internet services. This service is designed to seamlessly take over for your phone system during a disaster, providing a reliable backup. With our professional planning and experience, extended phone outages are no longer a catastrophe waiting to happen. With managed telecom service, you also don’t have to worry about working with carriers to restore down service. We take care of that and provide you the updates you need so you don’t have to spend hours on hold or back and forth with providers. Events happen, but Verify! offers the solutions your business needs to stay connected without all of the back and forth with call center representatives who don’t know what they’re doing. Don’t wait. Learn more about our offerings today, so you’re prepared for whatever may come tomorrow.
