Backup Communication System Borrows Thy Neighbour's WiFi

Cellular signals tend to congest following a major disaster, owing to the high call volume that necessarily flows in. A team of German scientists are examining a method where they could link up household routers so as to make available a backup system for the emergency teams to communicate. As per Security Week, the Technical University in Darmstadt team scanned density of their city to check exactly how effective this method would turn out to be, with as much as 2,000 routers found within half a square kilometer. Darmstadt is small compared to other metropolitan cities, so applying a similar system in a major city would need a super-strong internet availability.

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To make use of this service, routers would have to incorporate a special channel that could just be approached by emergency responders. The privacy of the router shall be maintained at all times. When other traditional systems are down, this system would prove out to be way much more useful.

Via: Proposed emergency communications system borrows neighborhood Wi-Fi connections - The Verge