A cell phone with radio tuner can be a valuable tool during emergencies, especially in the case of cellular or internet service disruptions. NPR spoke with Jeff Smulyan, the point man for this issue for the National Association of Broadcasters, who notes that radio broadcasts can often get through when other communications fail during a disaster. Listening to FM radio also uses less battery power than streaming.

Smulyan says that most smartphones now have built-in FM chips, and that most carriers allow their customers to use the feature on unlocked devices. However, some companies have blocked access to the chip on their devices, which he calls a “predictably shady tactic” to force customers to pay for cellular data. Sprint is among those carriers that has activated the FM chip in its devices, he says.

Dialing into Radio Waves: Exploring Cell Phones with Integrated Tuners for Enhanced Connectivity

The app NextRadio is one option for accessing a phone’s FM chip. It starts by scanning for the chip, then lets you select stations that are broadcasting in your area. Unlike most other tuning apps, this one includes local news and sports, and it can even display weather updates on your screen. It has a few extra features, such as recording and favorites, as well as sleep timer and Bluetooth speaker support (requires wired headphones or earbuds for antenna reception). It’s available on Android phones, though it does not work on Apple devices.

Smulyan says that his organization is trying to push carriers in Canada to enable their phones’ FM chips. He’s encouraged by the fact that some of them are listening. He hopes that the public pressure will encourage more of them to do the same, especially since listening to FM radio on a smartphone drains the battery three to five times slower than streaming.