Using Social Media Without Internet After Hurricane Irma

Power and internet outages are expected across Florida when Hurricane Irma slashes through the state this weekend. But if you want to use social media, there are still ways you can do so without WiFi.

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Here’s how you can continue to tweet and Facebook to reach friends, family and loved ones— without the world wide web.

FACEBOOK

1. First, register your phone number to set up Facebook texts. To do this, go to your Facebook settings and click “mobile,” then click “add a phone” if you haven’t already added a phone number to your account. If there is a phone number linked to your account, click on “activate text messaging.” For full instructions click here.
   
2. After you’ve set up Facebook texts, send a text (SMS) to 32665 (FBOOK) to update your status and receive notifications. Standard messaging rates apply.

TWITTER

1. There’s a similar process for Twitter. Register your number to your Twitter account, and then you can tweet by texting a short or long code. (Click here to find out how to add your number to your Twitter.)
2. Sending a text message to any of these short or long code numbers will post your message as a Tweet to your profile (and it will be sent to all of your followers).

If you're looking to send an email, many smart phones have an email address and every provider offers something called an email “gateway." The gateway allows you to send and receive e-mails via text.

Comcast, the parent company of NBCUniversal and WTVJ/NBC 6, announced that they will open its Xfinity WiFi hotspots to anyone across the state – both those who have Xfinity internet service and those who don’t – free of charge.