Last Monday, April 28, an extensive energy court paralyzed telecommunications in much of Spain.
Most citizens, running out of coverage or mobile data, found themselves completely isolated and unable to obtain official information for several hours.
The reason: the total dependence of devices that require permanent internet connection and mobile networks, which collapsed due to the lack of electricity.
In the midst of this situation, a small group of people managed to stay informed thanks to a function that has disappeared from many recent smartphones: the possibility of capturing independent analog signals.
This detail, which for many might seem outdated, became a salvation table during the blackout.
Analog technology that proved to be more reliable
In recent years, many cell phone manufacturers have chosen to withdraw this function or deactivate it by default. The trend has been to replace it with streaming services or applications that allow listening to online stations.
However, These platforms depend completely on an active connection, which makes them ineffective in situations like the one that was recently lived in Spain.
During the collapse of communications, who had access to the radio were able to hear official reports, updates on the restoration of the electricity supply and reports from different regions.
This tool, often seen as outdated, became an essential source of information for thousands of people.
How to download the application of ‘radio’ in iOS and Android
The radio application despite not coming and installed default on the most recent phones have the alternative to download it through each store of the operating system either Android or iOS:
- Enter the PlayStore store (Android) or App Store (iOS)
- Search ‘Radio’
- There you will find different options in which you can take into account the qualifications or also the versions and options, some have the option of reproducing international broadcasters.
- Once installed, you must accept the permits and voila, you can tune the station you want.
Another option for iPhone is if the user has Apple Music, through Siri, you can ask that you tune in a station, the ideal would be to tell Siri the frequency for example: “Hey Siri reproduces Radio 97.5 in Apple Music”
Alternative applications and a necessary debate
Although there are applications that allow listening to radio stations through the Internet, its operation depends completely on a stable network connection.
Under normal conditions, these tools fulfill their function without major inconveniences, but in critical situations such as a mass blackout, they can lose their usefulness.
when the electricity supply fails and telecommunications networks fall, these applications are unusable, leaving users completely incommunicado.
Some manufacturers still integrate the FM radio chip into their devices, but many times it is factory deactivated, and its activation is not available to the average user.
In other cases, the absence of antenna or lack of support in the operating system makes this function something merely decorative or useless without additional accessories.
Radio, far from being a technology from the pasthas proven to be a strategic tool in times of crisis. It is economical, robust, and has the ability to operate independently, which makes it a reliable information channel when others fail.
Therefore, some sectors advocate that this functionality is not only maintained, but is reactivated as a preventive measure in the face of future contingencies.
What happened in Spain leaves an obvious lesson: in a highly digitized world, It can be complex depending on the cloud or streaming. Back to the essential, to simple but effective technologies, could be the difference between uncertainty and security at key moments.
