Communications Status Report for 
Areas Impacted by Hurricane Lee
September 17, 2023

The following is a report on the status of communications services in geographic areas impacted by Hurricane Lee as of September 17, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. EDT.  This report incorporates network outage data submitted by communications providers to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS).  Note that the operational status of communications services during an event may evolve rapidly, and this report represents a snapshot in time.  
The following counties are in the current geographic area that is part of DIRS (the “disaster area”) for today’s report.
The area of interest for this activation includes the following counties in Maine and Massachusetts. 
Maine: Cumberland, Hancock, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Waldo, Washington, and York. 
Massachusetts:  Barnstable and Nantucket.






911 Services 

The Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) learns the status of each Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) through the filings of 911 Service Providers in DIRS, reporting to the FCC’s Public Safety Support Center, coordination with state 911 Administrators, and, if necessary, direct contact with individual PSAPs.

Maine: No PSAPs are reported as being affected in the Maine.
Massachusetts: No PSAPs are reported as being affected in Massachusetts.
Wireless Services

The current status of wireless communications services by county is shown by the following chart and map.


The following table provides cell sites out of service by county.  0.7% of the cell sites in the affected area are out of service.  The information shown was provided by communications carriers providing services in Maine and Massachusetts.  The number of total cell sites out may differ from the sum of numbers of cell sites out by cause.  This is due to sites being out due to multiple causes or because providers are still assessing the causes of some sites being out of service.


Maine:

State
Affected Counties
Cell Sites Served
Cell Sites Out
Percent Out
Cell Sites Out Due to Damage
Cell Sites Out Due to Transport
Cell Sites Out Due to Power
Cell Sites Up but On Back-up Power
ME
YORK
244
0
0.0%
0
0
0
0
ME
LINCOLN
60
2
3.3%
0
0
2
2
ME
CUMBERLAND
295
1
0.3%
0
1
0
0
ME
SAGADAHOC
57
0
0.0%
0
0
0
4
ME
WALDO
67
1
1.5%
0
0
0
0
ME
KNOX
57
1
1.8%
0
0
1
3
ME
HANCOCK
68
2
2.9%
0
1
1
3
ME
WASHINGTON
83
0
0.0%
0
0
0
3
TOTAL
 
931
7
0.7%
0
2
4
15

Massachusetts

State
Affected Counties
Cell Sites Served
Cell Sites Out
Percent Out
Cell Sites Out Due to Damage
Cell Sites Out Due to Transport
Cell Sites Out Due to Power
Cell Sites Up but On Back-up Power
MA
BARNSTABLE
132
0
0.0%
0
0
0
0
MA
NANTUCKET
11
0
0.0%
0
0
0
0
TOTAL
 
143
0
0.0%
0
0
0
0

The number of cell site outages in a specific area does not necessarily correspond to the availability of wireless service to consumers in that area.  See Improving the Resiliency of Mobile Wireless Communications Networks, Order, 31 FCC Rcd 13745, para. 10 (2016) (recognizing the difficulties in accurately depicting the ongoing status of a wireless provider’s service during emergencies).  Wireless networks are often designed with numerous, overlapping cell sites that provide maximum capacity and continuity of service even when an individual site is inoperable.  In addition, wireless providers frequently use temporary facilities, such as cells-on-wheels (also known as COWs), increase power at operational sites, initiate roaming agreements, or take other actions to maintain service to affected consumers during emergencies or other events that result in cell site outages. 

Cable Systems and Wireline (Combined)

Cable and wireline companies reported 2,413 subscribers out of service in the disaster area for Hurricane Lee; this includes the loss of telephone, television, and/or Internet services.  


Broadcast: 
Television station status: 

· 1 TV station is reported as being out of service (WMEB).
FM Radio station status:  
· No FM radio stations are reported as being out of service. 
AM Radio station status:  
· No AM radio stations are reported as being out of service.

Special Temporary Authority (STA)/Waivers/Extensions

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) may grant Special Temporary Authority (STA) to permit immediate or temporary operation of certain radio facilities during emergencies or other urgent conditions, as well as waivers to support emergency communications and service restoration.