When the internet and mobile coverage disappear: Norway reminds residents to have a Plan B

Where will you get a message from the municipality if you cannot open its website? How will you meet up with loved ones if you cannot make a call? Egenberedskapsuka begins on Monday, 26 October. This year’s emergency preparedness week focuses specifically on situations in which the internet and mobile network stop working. The campaign runs until 1 November.

The problem starts earlier than with a completely discharged phone. Even a working device cannot replace a functioning network. Preparations should therefore include both equipment and arrangements with people you can rely on. DSB — Egenberedskapsuka 2026. In a Norstat survey conducted for DSB, 63% of respondents rated their household as fairly or very poorly prepared for a prolonged outage of the internet and mobile network. Only 29% said they knew where to obtain information from the municipality when the network stops working. The results were reported by the NTB news agency on 26 October. These are respondents’ own declarations, not the outcome of an assessment of their preparedness. NTB / Radio Haugaland.

DSB encourages municipalities to establish physical information points. Check what solution your municipality has planned: where you should go and under what circumstances the point will operate. Write down the address on paper together with important phone numbers. Do not assume the rules are the same everywhere. DSB and Nkom — information when communications are unavailable. The second step is to find a “beredskapsvenn”, or emergency preparedness buddy: someone with whom you agree to help each other. This could be a neighbour, friend or family member. Agree on a meeting place and on what you can share. DSB also mentions help with translating and explaining messages from the authorities. This is a useful option for people who do not feel confident in Norwegian. DSB — beredskapsvenn.

A DAB radio powered by batteries, a hand crank or solar energy will be useful for receiving announcements. NRK P1 is the channel for crisis information. It is also worth charging a power bank and preparing spare batteries. If the mobile network is down but the internet is available, calls via Wi-Fi or a pre-agreed app may be an alternative. DSB and Nkom recommendations. Norwegian guidance recommends preparing to manage independently for a week. Household supplies should include around 20 litres of drinking water per person, food, and items needed to stay warm and provide lighting. The official brochure is also available in Polish. DSB — guide in Polish. To begin with, one concrete step is enough: agree with one person where you will meet if you cannot reach each other by phone. Also check where each of you will get information. It is worth having such a plan ready before you need it.