The Future of TV Blog

Hold onto your hat – hurricane season is on the way

May 30, 2012 at 10:50 pm Leave a comment

The bad news is that June 1 marks the start of hurricane season. The good news, however, is that you can stay safe by tuning in to your local TV and radio stations to get critical emergency information. And many of you can tune in on the go using your smartphone or tablet, even if power lines are down and cell networks are congested.

How is that possible? More stations than ever before are broadcasting mobile channels. Mobile TV is delivered from your local stations to your mobile device using over-the-air technology, not wireless networks. Not only does that mean you can still receive local emergency information even when cell towers are down, but it also means there are no additional data streaming charges.

Your phone will need to be enabled with a chip – check here to see if your device already has those capabilities built-in. If it is not, consumers in many areas can purchase a USB flash drive-sized mobile TV receiver for their laptop or tablet, like the DTV111 from Coby Electronics. Watch this short video to get a glimpse of how this technology works.

Radio-enabled mobile phones provide another way for consumers to get vital emergency information when storms are looming. Again, even when cell towers are down or congested, radio-enabled phones are able to receive local broadcasts over-the-air, keeping you informed and safe. For a list of radio-enabled phones from major wireless carriers, click here.

Broadcasters take their role as first informers very seriously and local stations around the country are innovating to keep viewers safe and meet your needs of on-demand information.

Remember, when the storms roll in your local broadcasters will help you stay safe and stay informed!

Entry filed under: Uncategorized. Tags: 21st Century, Airwaves, antenna, Broadcast, Broadcasters, Broadcasting, Disaster, Future, innovations, Lifeline, local, mobile, Mobile DTV, mobile tv, Over-the-Air, public safety, public service, Storms, Tornadoes, wireless, wireless data.