Why “stay connected” is the phrase of the weekend
Two named storms in two days is a lot, even for a British October. Storm Austen has already caused temporary power cuts in the South West, Storm Boelo is heading for Scotland and the north, and forecasters are watching a possible third system early next week. Winds of up to 70mph are enough to bring down power lines, and when the power goes, so does your broadband and, for most homes now, the landline.
Ofcom updated its guidance on how to stay connected in severe weather on 22 October 2026. It’s sensible, unglamorous advice, and most of it takes ten minutes to act on before the wind picks up. We covered the basics in our broadband power cut checklist last month. This is the storm-specific version, with the bits Ofcom has added since.
What does Ofcom say you should do before the storm?
Ofcom’s list starts with charging everything and ends with talking to your neighbours. The regulator says providers are required to take steps to keep their networks reliable, but severe weather can still knock them out, and rural areas are more likely to be hit. Here’s the preparation list, condensed.
Five steps to stay connected
- Charge your phones, tablets and a power bank before any weather event the Met Office has warned about.
- If you’re on pay as you go, check you’ve got credit. Calls to 999 or 112 are always free and work with no credit at all.
- Write important numbers down on paper: your energy network, your broadband and mobile providers, your council. Phones die, paper doesn’t.
- Set up “in case of emergency” contacts and switch on your phone’s safety features, so first responders can reach your family without unlocking the handset.
- Agree a plan with family and neighbours for who checks on whom if the lines go quiet, especially for older relatives.
Two extra tips from Ofcom are worth a mention. A battery, wind up or solar radio still gets you weather warnings when nothing else works. And if everyone in your house is on the same mobile network, you’re betting the whole household on one mast. Different networks fail differently, so a mix of providers, or a second eSIM, gives you a better chance that one of them is still standing.
Will my landline work in a power cut?
If it’s a digital landline, no, not without a battery back up. Ofcom is blunt on this: home broadband and any digital landline that runs over it will not work during a power cut unless you have another power source. That’s the trade off of the switch away from the old copper network, which we explain in our landline switch off checklist.
The good news is the rules on your side. If you depend on your landline and don’t have a working mobile or a reliable signal, your provider must offer you a free solution, usually a battery back up unit. It has to last at least one hour in a power cut, and Ofcom says some providers’ units last up to seven. If you’re not eligible for a free one, you can buy one from your provider or a retailer. Tell your provider now if you rely on the landline, use a telecare device or are vulnerable in any way, because that’s what unlocks the extra support.
| Service | Works in a power cut? | What helps you stay connected |
|---|---|---|
| Home broadband (full fibre or copper) | No, the router needs mains power | A battery back up for the router, or mobile data on your phone |
| Digital landline | No, unless you have a back up unit | A free back up from your provider if you have no mobile alternative, lasting at least one hour |
| Mobile | Usually, but masts can lose power or get damaged | Calls to 999 roam onto any network with signal; texts often get through when calls don’t |
| WFi calling | Only while the broadband is up | Useful if the mobile network fails but your power and broadband survive |
Figures and rules checked against Ofcom’s “Stay connected in severe weather” page, updated 22 October 2026.
What should I do while the storm’s on?
Keep calls short, try texts, and wait 20 seconds between attempts. Ofcom’s advice for the storm itself is about not making a stretched network worse. If your phone shows signal but calls won’t connect, a standard text often will, and both Android and iOS can be set to resend a failed message as a text automatically. Repeated redialling adds load, so give it 20 seconds between tries.
If your own network is down, your phone can still call 999 or 112 over any other network with coverage. You’ll see “emergency calls only” or “SOS only” on screen. Some newer phones can reach emergency services by satellite with no network at all. And if you still have broadband but no mobile signal, turn on WiFi calling, or use WhatsApp, Messenger, iMessage or Signal for calls and messages.
Save the battery. Lower the screen brightness, switch on battery saver mode, and don’t spend the evening doomscrolling the storm tracker. The phone’s job tonight is emergencies.
What can I claim if my broadband stays down afterwards?
Report it, then check the compensation rules. Ofcom says that if your mobile, broadband or landline is still out once the weather’s passed, report it to your provider, because that’s what gets the fault into the queue. Most take reports by phone, online, live chat or app.
If your provider has signed up to Ofcom’s automatic compensation scheme and your broadband or landline isn’t fixed within two working days, you may be entitled to a payment. Providers outside the scheme, and mobile services, can still owe you something, so ask. Our post on Ofcom’s power cut rules for phone signal covers the mobile side. For the electricity itself, the payments come from your network operator, not your supplier, and start at £100 for a home after a long outage.
One more thought while the router’s dark. If your broadband drops every time the wind gets up, that’s a reliability problem, not just a weather one, and it’s worth seeing what else serves your postcode. In rural spots Ofcom even suggests satellite as a back up. Comparing takes about a minute, and the results depend on where you live.
Frequently asked questions about how to stay connected in a storm
- Can I call 999 if my mobile network is down?
- Yes. Your phone will automatically use another network’s signal for 999 or 112 calls, free of charge, and the calls work with no credit on pay as you go.
- Does Ofcom make my provider give me a battery back up?
- Only if you depend on your landline and have no working mobile or reliable signal. Then the provider must offer a free solution lasting at least one hour in a power cut.
- How do I report a power cut?
- Call 105 for free from any phone, or visit PowerCut105.com. That reaches your electricity network operator, which is who fixes the lines and pays any compensation.
- Is a second SIM worth it just for storms?
- Ofcom suggests it as an option, not a must. A cheap second SIM or an eSIM on another network gives you a fallback, but it’s an extra cost, so weigh it against how often your area loses signal.
Sources: Ofcom, “Stay connected in severe weather”, published 13 October 2026 and updated 22 October 2026; Energy Live News, “Britain braces for energy battering as storms pile in”, 23 October 2026, quoting Energy Networks Association; Mobile UK news feed, 22 October 2026. Checked October 2026.
