How to prepare for a new power outage?

The Iberian Peninsula is still recovering from last Monday's total power outage, a crisis that highlighted the fragility of essential services and our absolute dependence on electricity. The Spanish government has yet to explain the causes of this incident, which left citizens facing an unexpected reality: stopped trains, out-of-focus traffic lights, unusable appliances, and a massive loss of communications.

The most disturbing aspect of the crisis is the telecommunications outage.

While the power outage halted multiple services, from rail transport to businesses, the most common complaint among citizens was the inability to communicate. Cell phones, despite having battery life, became almost useless as the day wore on. The magnitude of the incident can be quantified: according to Ookla analyst Luke Kehoe, the average mobile download speed across the state dropped 73% compared to the previous day. Even more worrying was the fact that at 9:00 a.m., 95% of users had a stable mobile connection, and by midday, the figure was 50%. By 3:00 p.m., it had dropped to 40%, and it didn't rise above 55% again until late at night.

What exactly happened? Why were we unable to communicate? And more importantly, how can we prepare for similar incidents in the future? Below, we review some aspects to keep in mind.

Why do cell phones stop working?

The main reason is simple: even if the phone has a battery, the antennas and sites that provide coverage operate on electricity. Without power, these infrastructures stop transmitting. This is the core problem. Industry sources explain to the ARA that only a very small percentage—"a single digit"—of mobile sites in the country have any backup system.

Satellite alternatives, still limited

Consumer telecommunications networks, such as Elon Musk's Starlink, could theoretically replace ground-based sites in the event of a power outage. Their low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites operate as orbital antennas powered by solar collectors.

However, the current reality still has significant limitations: a fixed antenna connected to a router is required. Some countries are experimenting with direct broadcasts to conventional cell phones, but these technologies are not widespread and do not offer the same data capacity as ground-based antennas.

The only truly operational satellite functionality for mainstream users is the text messages that the iPhone 14 and later models can send using the Globalstar network. This is a limited option, as the recipient must be able to receive them.

Why don't I have internet at home either?

In addition to being disconnected from cell phones, most citizens also lost Wi-Fi, which is the colloquial way of referring to home internet connections. In reality, fiber optic lines did continue to function because the carriers' data centers were kept active by backup generators. What went down with the blackout were the modems and routers in homes and offices, as they require electricity to function.

Some citizens avoided this problem thanks to having their devices connected to a surge protector that also includes a battery, and having charged laptops. The ideal solution for maintaining connectivity and being able to work during a blackout is, naturally, a UPS (uninterruptible power supply), with a higher-capacity battery and, therefore, greater autonomy to power network devices.

How to extend cell phone battery life

The most obvious limitation during a power outage is the inability to recharge devices. Therefore, preserving battery life becomes a top priority. Aside from the usual advice about disabling non-essential features (Bluetooth, GPS, etc.), it's important to keep two essential recommendations in mind. First, activate airplane mode to prevent your phone from consuming power by constantly trying to connect to unavailable networks. Second, minimize use of the screen, which is the component that consumes the most power. Playing games or reading for hours will quickly drain the battery.

As a fundamental alternative, external batteries are an indispensable resource to always keep charged. A 10,000 milliamp-hour (mAh) battery can recharge a mobile phone or tablet a couple of times; a 20,000 mAh battery can power twice as many devices or cycles, and even a laptop.

It's also worth remembering that many fully charged laptops can power a mobile phone when plugged in, and several modern phone models offer reverse charging (wired or wireless) to share power with other devices.

Radio: The medium that never fails

In emergency situations, radio stations—which have generators—end up being the most reliable and accessible source of information. This, naturally, provided you have a working receiver on hand.

Traditional transistor radios run on batteries. It's a good idea to check their reserves or, if using rechargeable batteries, keep them full. But in situations like the one experienced this Monday, it's especially useful to have a truly autonomous radio receiver, such as hand-cranked models: five minutes of manual operation provides approximately 30 minutes of listening time. There are even more complete models that include a solar collector, flashlight, and USB input for charging your phone, turning them into true emergency stations.

Regarding the possibility of listening to the radio with a mobile phone, it's becoming increasingly complicated: radio apps obviously don't work without internet, and most manufacturers have eliminated the built-in FM receiver in their premium models, focusing exclusively on online connectivity. Paradoxically, it's mid-range and low-end cell phones—designed for less affluent markets—that still tend to integrate FM receivers. Thus, in the face of future incidents, a modest phone may be more useful than a state-of-the-art one.

Solar panels: why don't they work during blackouts?

Many citizens who have invested in photovoltaic installations have been surprised to discover that, despite having panels and it being daylight, they still remain without electricity during a blackout.

The explanation lies in the type of installation: most are of the basic type, consisting only of collectors on the roof and an inverter that manages the energy flow, feeding the surplus into the grid and receiving more when needed. The problem is that the inverter requires alternating current from the grid to operate and cannot directly use the direct current produced by the panels.

The only way to achieve independence from the electrical grid is to complement the installation with two crucial elements: batteries to store the energy generated but not consumed, and an isolation module that allows the installation to be independent in the event of a power outage. The main drawback is that these components can double the total cost of the system.

Electric generators: a solution with risks

Finally, some citizens are considering purchasing electric generators powered by gasoline or diesel. They are not excessively expensive: a 5,000 W model can be purchased for less than 1,000 euros and provides enough power for basic needs. However, extreme caution is necessary regarding their location and use. Just this Tuesday, the ARA reported The Emergency Medical Service has had to treat dozens of people poisoned by carbon monoxide emissions from poorly ventilated electric generators, a risk that adds to the original emergency.