How to Update Twitter & Facebook Via SMS in an Emergency

I’m going to Spain next month for work, and well, like most of Europe, Spain is on a High Terror Alert. That doesn’t mean you need to change your travel plans, or succumb to fear. But it does mean taking extra precautions and planning.

Communication is key during an emergency, but what happens when everyone is on their phone and cell towers get overloaded? Data probably won’t work, and calls may not go through.. but text messages often can get through. Why is this? Well, a few reasons: Carriers send text messages over a control channel instead of a voice channel, which is not disrupted by the voice traffic. Text messages also have a very light footprint and can get through quickly. Last, even if a text you send doesn’t connect at first, the network will keep trying to send the text until the channel is freed up and the text can send.

Many times you just need to send a quick text to friends letting them know you’re OK, or your whereabouts, etc. But, in an emergency you probably don’t have the time or battery power to send every single person a text. Here’s where social media can help you.

Follow the steps below to send SMS messages to your Facebook and Twitter accounts so you can alert family and friends quickly, easily, and with the least amount of battery power.

Twitter

1. Add your mobile phone number to your Twitter account
   1. iOS instructions
   2. Android instructions
   3. Web instructions
2. Find your providers short SMS code and store it into your phone
   1. SMS code look up
      1. Many countries are 40404, including the U.S.
   2. Long Codes
      1. UK: +447624800379
      2. Germany: +491724403473
   3. Store the codes in your phone
3. Text the word START or SIGNUP to your mobile carrier’s short code.
4. Check out the designated Twitter commands to perform different actions like follow, unfollow, reply, block, etc.
5. Choose what type of SMS notifications to receive, or you may find your phone blowing up with notifications.
   1. Go to your Settings page.
   2. Click the Mobile tab.
   3. In the Text notifications section, check the boxes for each type of notification you would like to receive.
6. Send a Test Tweet

A few notes… While your carrier’s short code should theoretically work, it’s a good idea to have the SMS short code for the provider that you’re roaming with, too. Long codes are a good idea as a backup, but you may be charged an international SMS fee. Long codes are also one way codes (you can Tweet, but not receive messages). If you have a local SIM card with a new phone number, update your Twitter phone number with your new number.

Facebook

1. Add your mobile phone number to your Facebook account
   1. Click at the top right of any Facebook page and select Settings
   2. Click Mobile.
   3. If you haven’t added your phone number to your account, click Add a Phone and follow the steps. If you’ve already added a phone number to your account, click Activate Text Messaging.
   4. Select your country and carrier, then click Next.
   5. Using your phone, text the letter “F” to 32665 (FBOOK) to get your confirmation code.
   6. Enter your code, then click Next.
2. Find your providers short SMS code and store it into your phone
   1. SMS code look up
      1. Most carriers use 32665 as the short code
      2. Store the codes in your phone
   2. Check out the designated Facebook commands to perform different actions like password reset, stop notifications, etc.
   3. Choose what type of SMS notifications to receive, or you may find your phone blowing up with notifications.
      1. Go to your Settings page.
      2. Click the Notifications tab.
      3. Manage your text notifications
   4. Send a test Facebook status

For more information, please see the FCC’s guide on communicating during an emergency.

Do you have any other SMS or communication tips? I’d love to hear them. Please leave me a comment below or send me a Tweet!