http://www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph MAY 2017 85

Words by Gerry Gaviola

Cellular towers and Wi-Fi networks can fail,
especially during natural disasters. Thankfully,
the effectiveness of FireChat doesn’t rely on the
signals of these towers. FireChat works even
without an internet connection or cellular signal.
The makers of the application, Open Garden
Inc., integrated FireChat with the innovative
technology of multi-hop and store-and-forward
capabilities. Creating a mesh network by
using Bluetooth and peer-to-peer technology,
the application is able to provide messaging
capabilities between devices as long as they are
within 200 feet of range.

In the mesh network, encrypted messages are
transmitted to one device from another until it

is reached by the intended receiver. However,

when an internet connection or cellular network

is available, Firechat uses these connections to

reach recipients.

One thing to take note of is that the application’s

effectiveness relies heavily on the density of the

users. Since it uses peer-to-peer technology, the

more people use the application, the better the

service gets.

Already used globally, FireChat has aided

countries such as India and Mexico in times of

natural disasters. The application is free of charge

and is available in the Google Playstore and in

Apple’s Appstore.

It’s better to be prepared than sorry. In this month alone, four strong earthquakes shook the country. Phivolcs has
already appealed to fellow Filipinos to prepare for the inevitable 7.2 magnitude earthquake that’s to come when
the West Valley Vault moves. When that happens, FireChat, a messaging app that works without data or Wi-Fi, may
be the solution when attempting to contact your loved ones.

Emergency Messaging

FireChat:

Without Data or Wifi