HARRISBURG (TNS) — The upcoming solar eclipse is expected to draw crowds nationwide, meaning possible traffic congestion and potential flight delays.
It also may cause cellphones to wonk out a wee bit, too.
Similar to how people’s phones slow on New Year’s Eve when the ball drops due to the fact very literally everyone and their mother is texting each other “Happy New Year,” the New York State Police, according to SILive.com, are warning that cell service may be strained due to a higher volume present on networks as the eclipse takes place.
They’ve recommended people headed to New York to catch a glimpse of the astronomical event to make sure their cellphones are charged, and to have chargers with them. NASA, too, has warned that service may be a bit touch-and-go during the eclipse.
However, major wireless networks have expressed confidence that it’ll all be handled smoothly.
“It’s something that we deal with quite frequently when you think about it,” said Verizon spokesman, Jeff Kew, to 13News. “When it comes to massive sporting events, when it comes to Indianapolis and the Indy 500, you’re looking at close to a quarter of a million gathered in one small space for a very significant amount of time. And the network holds up just fine.”
AT&T, too, confirmed via statement to 13News sent by their own spokesperson that they expect no negative impact to their service during the eclipse.
“Our network has drastically changed since the last solar eclipse in 2017,” the statement reads. “Our customers now have the benefit of AT&T 5G which provides unique experiences, faster speeds and capacity to do more of the things our customers like.”