Many people had trouble connecting on mobile phones in the immediate aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. Destruction of communication infrastructure silenced some mobile phones, while massive numbers of calls and texts checking the safety of loved ones overwhelmed intact infrastructure, slowing and, in some cases, stopping cellular traffic.
There is a possibility that there may have been lives that could be saved if mobile phone services had properly operated. Such a situation can be improved with "Relay-by-Smartphone," an off-the-grid smartphone communication technology that can boost connectivity, possibly saving lives.
Relay-by-Smartphone is a new method that enables data relay using multiple smartphones, even in situations in which mobile networks and public Wi-Fi are unavailable. With the method, packet data is sent via "Wi-Fi direct links" as smartphones pass each other, with the data eventually relayed to the designated recipients.