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Editor’s Note: This story was updated on Feb. 23 to add information about a portable cell tower in Richland County.
MANSFIELD — Richland County officials are expecting an influx of up to 250,000 visitors ahead of the April 8 total solar eclipse.
Richland County is along the event’s “path of totality” — making it a primary viewing spot for residents and tourists alike.
The Richland County Emergency Management Authority (EMA) is urging residents to shelter in place, reschedule appointments and even buy groceries ahead of time. Many local school districts have cancelled classes on April 8.
So how will this celestial anomaly and the crowds that come to see it impact cell phone service?
“Cell phone (reception) will be very, very sketchy. There will be lots of issues with connectivity and that type of thing,” said Rebecca Owens, director of the Richland County EMA.
“Inkcarceration is a prime example of that. When I was out at the venue last year, it was impossible to communicate with the other safety folks.”
An analysis by AT&T found that cellular activity in most places increased during the 24-hour period surrounding the 2017 solar eclipse, both in and outside the path of totality.
There were significant increases in network usage in regions along the path of totality. Large cities like St. Louis, Nashville and Lincoln Nebraska saw traffic double; small towns like Madras, Oregon experienced up to six times more network usage.
Owens said representatives from AT&T have told her crowds traveling to the area may put greater demands on local wireless networks, resulting in connection delays or dropped calls.
“To reduce the strain on wireless networks, northwest Ohio public safety professionals recommend wireless users access a secure WiFi network if available during the solar eclipse,” Owens said in an email.
“A WiFi connection allows you to make calls and send texts without using your carrier’s wireless network. Many people have WiFi access in their homes and use WiFi networks at restaurants, coffee shops, libraries and other public spaces.”
Owens also told Richland Source that Verizon will have a portable tower in Richland County, but the location is yet to be determined.
Mobile carriers say broadened capacity should help alleviate increased network demand
Representives from major mobile carriers said they’re working to minimize service interruptions.
“T-Mobile is preparing for the upcoming solar eclipse by optimizing our network so people in its path and at planned viewing events, including those in Mansfield, stay connected,” said Lyssa Hansen, senior communications manager.
“We’re also working with state and local officials, first responders and other organizations in these areas. We encourage customers to visit our newsroom in the coming weeks for more tips and information about the upcoming event.”
Jeff Kew, Great Lakes communication manager for Verizon, said the company is not expecting the solar eclipse to impact its network operations at all.
“In areas where people may gather to experience this event, we feel confident the additional capacity we have layered into the network over the past few years will accommodate any increases in data usage, however as requests for supplemental capacity come to us, we are assessing the needs,” Kew said in an email.
A spokesperson from AT&T declined to speculate on potential service interruptions, but said the mobile carrier has been beefing up its network in the area.
“We understand the importance of keeping our customers connected and we continue to monitor the performance of our network around the clock,” the spokesperson told Richland Source.
“Over the last five years, we’ve added additional capacity to our cell sites in Mansfield. Additionally, the FirstNet Response Operations Group (ROG) will continue to support emergency communications for first responders and is prepared to deploy redundant, backup connectivity solutions in the area.”
Major wireless networks sent portable towers to multiple rural areas during the partial solar eclipse in 2017, CNBC reported.
Changes in Earth’s atmosphere could also disrupt signals
In addition to increased demand, an article from NASA states the eclipse itself could also interfere with the airwaves.
The ionosphere is a layer of the Earth’s atmosphere that is ionized by solar and cosmic radiation. It plays a crucial role in reflecting radio waves, allowing long-distance communication and navigation via GPS.
The sudden changes in ionospheric conditions during an eclipse can lead to the formation of ionospheric anomalies, such as ionospheric holes or depletions.
These anomalies can disrupt radio signals and GPS navigation systems, affecting communication and navigation over the affected regions, per an article on NASA’s website.
How to safely photograph the solar eclipse
Anyone who chooses to look at the solar eclipse will need special eye protection in order to do so safely. Many experts say it’s important to protect camera lenses too.
NASA recommends using a special solar filter to protect your camera. Using a tripod and delayed shutter release timer can also reduce camera shots and help you snap clear photographs.
There’s some debate as to whether protective equipment is necessary for smartphone cameras, since lenses are typically very small and don’t admit as much light.
However, pointing a smart phone camera directly at the sun may still harm the sensor and probably won’t result in a good photo anyway.
Holding the phone camera up to a pair of solar eclipse glasses may minimize these risks and result in a slightly better photo.
For additional advice on how to photograph the eclipse, check out these articles from NASA and this one from Space.com.