When the power or internet goes down, your phone will go silent too, sooner or later. Here you can read how to keep receiving official news and stay in touch with the people close to you.
Mobile masts have backup power for a limited time, often a few hours. After that, mobile calls and internet in that area drop out.
When demand is very high, the network becomes overloaded. A text message will often still get through when a call doesn't. Your phone will also call 112 via another network if yours fails.
If there is an emergency and phone calls no longer work, drive or walk, if it is safe, to the nearest police station, ambulance station or fire station. Emergency services have their own emergency communication and can call for help for you. Look up now where the nearest ones are.
A radio that runs on batteries, a hand crank or a solar panel is the most important tool. Choose one with both FM and DAB+, because in some countries the national stations now broadcast only digitally.
Frequencies vary by region. We show the capital as an example. Use the link to look up your own frequency, tune your radio now and write the frequency down with your emergency supplies. A DAB+ radio finds the stations with an automatic scan. As of October 2026.
These tools work without mobile masts. The higher the antenna and the clearer the view, the greater the range.
Licence-free throughout Europe, 16 channels, maximum 0.5 watts. Range from a few hundred metres in town to several kilometres in open terrain. Ideal for family and neighbours.
Licence-free in most European countries, 40 channels. More range than PMR, often several kilometres, and more with a good antenna. Also found in cars and lorries.
Small, inexpensive transmitters that pass short text messages along to each other, with no network or subscription, on the licence-free 868 MHz band. Every extra device extends the network.
The greatest range, across the border and beyond. You need a licence, which requires an exam. In many countries, radio amateurs run their own emergency networks.
A satellite messenger, or a newer smartphone that can send an emergency message via satellite. Works almost anywhere under open sky; sometimes a subscription is required.
Apps such as Briar send messages from phone to phone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, without internet. Short range, but useful within a street or building.
Only transmit with licence-free equipment or with a transmitting licence. Transmitting on other frequencies is prohibited and punishable, and can interfere with emergency services.
LoRa (Long Range) is a radio technique for short messages over long distances, using very little power. Small boards costing about €25 to €60 connect to your phone via Bluetooth. They pass messages on to each other and together form a network (mesh), with no masts, internet or subscription. Range is usually 1 to 10 kilometres, and much more from a high point. A board runs for days on a small battery, and with a small solar panel a fixed node keeps working for months.
The best-known system, with the most users in Europe. Every node relays messages, up to 7 hops. Easy apps for Android, iPhone and the browser, encrypted channels and optional GPS positions.
Good for: getting started quickly with family and neighbours.
Newer and more economical with airtime: only fixed repeaters relay messages, and after the first message the network follows a fixed route, up to 64 hops. Room servers store messages for anyone who is briefly offline. Does not work together with Meshtastic.
Good for: a stable network in a village or region, with fixed repeaters on high points.
Not a single app but a complete network protocol with strong encryption. It works over LoRa with an RNode board, but also over Wi-Fi, cable, packet radio and the internet at the same time. Apps such as Sideband and NomadNet give you messages, files and even voice.
Good for: anyone who wants more than messaging and builds a robust network themselves.
In Europe the 863–870 MHz band is licence-free, but with power and airtime limits per sub-band: often 25 mW and 1% of the time, on 869.4–869.65 MHz up to 500 mW and 10%. Always choose a European region in the app (such as EU_868), keep the airtime limit switched on, and do not use boards or firmware made for 915 MHz (America).
Write down the most important phone numbers and keep them with your emergency supplies.
Agree on a fixed place, and a second one in case the first can't be reached.
Choose someone further away whom everyone checks in with. They are often easier to reach than someone in the same affected area.
Agree when and where you will listen, for example five minutes on a fixed channel every hour on the hour. That way you save batteries.
Power banks, spare batteries, a small solar panel and a car charger.
Test the radio and walkie-talkies once a year with the whole household.