Solar Flares Did Not Cause Cell Phone Outages Last Night

(CTN News) – Getting up and checking Solar Flares what’s new in the world may have been easy for you this morning, but if you were an AT&T customer, your signal may have been poor.

Unfortunately, there is an issue with the mobile company’s cell phone coverage throughout some pockets of the country. WiFi-based communications are the only option left for many.

Cell service was also disrupted by a solar flare that sent radiation flying towards Earth at the same time. Despite what you may have read on social media, AT&T did not experience an outage due to the solar flare.

We experienced a solar flare last night around 1:30 am Eastern Standard Time, which was focused on the solar-lit part of the Earth. Due to the radiation, places like Europe and Western Asia had problems communicating via high-frequency signals in the eastern hemisphere.

Because the radiation was not concentrated towards us, the western hemisphere was mostly spared.

Space Weather Prediction Center reports incoming solar flare radiation at 11 am, the time of writing this article.

In order to answer the question of whether this caused the cell phone outage, the answer is no, since cell phones operate on a different signal than the radiation in question.

Cell phones fall into the category of radio waves and microwaves when you look at the electromagnetic spectrum, which is the basis of everything wireless. There are more similarities between it and high-frequency radars than with FM radio.

As a result of the solar flare, the lower levels of the atmosphere are ionized, causing long-range radios to be interfered with. This range of waves is used by ham radios, commercial airlines, and certain military and government tools.

While cell phone signals are still able to connect to cell towers, they are not affected by the ionized atmosphere (what happens when a flare contacts our atmosphere).

If you look at the electromagnetic spectrum, which is what wireless devices operate on, you will notice that cell phones fall somewhere between radio waves and microwaves. Compared to your favorite FM radio station, it is more like a high-frequency radar.

Long-range radios are interfered with by the ionization of the lower levels of the atmosphere caused by the solar flare. These waves are used by ham radios, commercial airlines, and some military and government agencies.

It is still possible for cell phone signals to connect with cell towers, which will then transmit the cell signal without interference from the ionized atmosphere (which occurs when flares contact our atmosphere).

When you experience an outage on your cell phone, use a WiFi connection to call and send messages or use a landline if you have access to one.

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