BitChat: незаменимый инструмент связи на Ямайке после урагана Мелисса Translation: BitChat: An Indispensable Communication Tool in Jamaica After Hurricane Melissa

The Bluetooth messenger BitChat has claimed the top spot in the App Store’s social networks category in Jamaica. The app facilitated communication amidst power outages caused by a hurricane.

Additionally, the messenger reached second place in the overall rankings of free apps for Apple and Android platforms.

On October 28, Jamaica was hit by the five-point storm Melissa, which struck the island. According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center, wind speeds exceeded 290 km/h. The natural disaster resulted in flooding across the island, leading to power outages and loss of communication in various areas.

As reported by the outage monitoring service NetBlocks, the level of national internet connectivity in Jamaica plummeted to 30% of the usual figure.

«Research indicates that the incident is linked to strong winds and downed power lines, leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity and communication,» noted the analysts.

One of the BitChat developers, known as calle, mentioned that this marked the «first surge of activity in response to the disaster.»

Previously, the messenger gained significant attention in Nepal and Indonesia, sparked by widespread protests against the government.

During natural disasters like the hurricane in Jamaica, reliable communication becomes critically important, calle stated in a comment to Decrypt. He emphasized that BitChat was designed to “help people stay connected even when traditional networks fail.”

This application does not require internet connectivity. Each Bluetooth device within the BitChat network operates as both a client and a relay. This design enables messages to be transmitted between devices, reaching distant users. The effective range is approximately 30 meters, but distinct clusters within the network connect bridge nodes, extending the coverage area.

These capabilities allow users to receive crucial information such as alerts, messages from rescue services, locations of shelters, and more. The messenger also features a «location notes» function, where descriptions can be added to specific geographic points.

«BitChat was created to restore one of humanity’s fundamental freedoms— the ability to communicate without permission, additional infrastructure, or surveillance. Even when all other [services] are down,» calle emphasized.

Lastly, it is worth noting that in June, Elon Musk announced the launch of the XChat messenger, which includes features like encryption, disappearing messages, and the ability to send various files. The application faced criticism upon its release.