Signal Search: Cellphone Service After Major Hurricanes

Persistent cellular site outages after Hurricane Michael left many first responders and residents of Panama City (FL) unable to reach loved ones or those in need of help for several days, drawing the ire of some government officials. A week after the storm made landfall, nearly half—46 percent as of 11 am on Oct 17—of cell sites in Bay County (FL) which includes Panama City and Mexico Beach, remained out of service, according to the Federal Communications Commission. That is a slower recovery than many recent major storms other than Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico in 2017 and left many residents without cellphone service for months.