Emergency Preparedness: Why a Solid Internet Connection Matters
If you’re like most people, your internet service is probably an afterthought when it’s working as it should. If you don’t choose the right service options, however, you can lose access when the power goes out during an emergency or a natural disaster.
This guide explains everything you need to know about internet emergency preparedness, including:
- Staying connected during emergencies
- High-speed internet and remote response capability
- A mini-case study: Resound Networks bridging the connection gap in New Mexico
- Tips to ensure you have a reliable emergency-proof connection
- Why choosing a dependable provider matters
With some extra planning and choosing a reliable internet service provider, you can remain connected, no matter what’s happening in your area.
Prepare Your Home for Emergencies with Resound's Reliable Network
Staying Connected During Emergencies
At Resound Networks, we believe everyone deserves access to reliable high-speed internet. It’s not just a luxury anymore. In many cases, it’s a basic requirement for school, work, and healthcare.
If you live in a rural area with unreliable cell phone service, you likely rely on your internet to stay connected to the outside world. However, a simple power outage is often enough to knock out your internet. This spells major trouble, interrupting your ability to access work, school, or telehealth services.
In an emergency, reliable internet service provides a lifeline, offering a way to coordinate with family or emergency services. It’s also essential to have access to weather alerts or emergency communications about natural disasters. You need a reliable internet connection to ensure you’re not left in the dark and unable to communicate during a disaster.
High-Speed Internet and Remote Response Capability
Your internet access shouldn’t just be reliable — it needs to have the speed necessary to perform basic tasks. High-speed internet is important for more than gaming or streaming movies during downtime. It also supports day-to-day life in several ways, including:
- Providing access to remote work or school
- Supporting remote home security systems
- Allowing for medical care through telehealth and remote health monitoring
During an emergency, you need access to emergency information and services. This is often achieved through online disaster response platforms. Without reliable internet, you can’t access critical information that informs you when to evacuate or what precautions to take.
Case Study: Resound Networks Bridging the Digital Divide in New Mexico
Unfortunately, many internet providers don’t see the value in serving addresses far outside of a city’s limits. Some may think it’s not worth investing in the resources for such a small return. However, Resound sees the value in connecting these areas, supporting community outreach, emergency preparedness, and faster responses to calls for help.
We’re dedicated to providing internet access to New Mexico’s most rural farms, businesses, and communities. In a 30-day period, we successfully connected over 400 customers across New Mexico to our fiber-fast network, and we’ve continued to connect hundreds more in the months since. During a disaster, Resound provides reliable internet due to our focus on redundancy to ensure continuous network connectivity.
Tips to Ensure You Have a Reliable Emergency-Proof Connection
If you rely on your internet to remain connected, emergency-proofing is a must, especially if you live in a rural area. Following these tips can help you avoid outages when you need connectivity the most:
- Choose redundancy: Resound has redundancy plans in place, ensuring your connection will continue even during an emergency..
- Prioritize speed and low latency: This helps you access smooth video footage and real-time alerts, both of which are critical for emergency communications.
- Keep devices charged and network gear on an uninterruptible power supply (UPS): This ensures you maintain internet service, even if you lose power.
- Clarify support and expectations: Familiarize yourself with the terms in your service level agreement (SLA) in advance. Understand your internet provider’s uptime guarantees and emergency response policies.
Why Choosing a Dependable Provider Matters
Your internet provider is your lifeline, so choosing the right one should be high on your list of priorities. A dependable provider gives you peace of mind knowing you’ll have access to critical communication when it matters the most during an emergency.
At Resound, we’re committed to maintaining connectivity across our eight-state network. Our team invests in robust, resilient infrastructure, even in rural areas. When you choose Resound Networks, you get reliable service supported by our dedication to preparedness and high performance no matter where you live.