Thread by @WorldMobileTeam

Location: North Carolina 🇺🇸
Status: AirNodes Installed ✅️

In a world where connectivity is everything, we simply had to do something for people who've been left with nothing.

Read on to learn about the #WorldMobile disaster relief efforts in the wake of #HurricaneHelene.

Last week, we received a message from World Mobile Ambassador @OceanicGoon, a North Carolina native who grew up in one of the hardest hit areas, close to #Asheville. The message was clear:

We need help.

The damage from #HurricaneHelene was unprecedented, striking homes & critical infrastructure. One of the biggest impacts was the loss of cellular services.

In rising flood waters, some locals couldn't even call 911.

On hearing this, 'Operation: Connect the Disconnected' was born. With support from @IOHK_Charles, we sent a team equipped with Portal 180 AirNodes utilising @Starlink backhaul to the hardest hit locations via Black Hawk helicopter.

The mission was clear, transform limited-range Starlink wifi devices into cellular services that cover up to a mile, enabling connectivity for hundreds of users.

Working with the disaster relief team, we identified a number of key locations, working through the night to deploy multiple AirNodes, with some deployments being achieved in just over 30 minutes from landing.

SIMs and eSIMs were gifted to the survivors, some of whom were able to connect for the first time since the tragedy unfolded.

While we're grateful to have enabled hard-hit communities to get connected, the mission has only just begun.

We'll be sharing details of how you can support helping to
connect the disconnected victims of Helene in the coming days.

Because together, we're unstoppable.

Working with the disaster relief team, we identified a number of key locations, working through the night to deploy multiple AirNodes, with some deployments being achieved in just over 30 minutes from landing.