ALBANY, N.Y. — A government official says the Federal Communications Commission is expected to announce today it will pursue a proposal to require backup power at cell towers to avoid a massive service loss like the one Superstorm Sandy wrought.

The official said that the FCC is expected today to announce hearings with first responders and people along the Eastern Seaboard where cellphone service in some places was lost for days.

On Sunday, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer of New York asked the FCC to work with telecommunications companies and first responders to maximize reliability and minimize costs.

In some places, nearly one in four customers lost cellphone service because of Sandy.