Carriers Offer Free Wireless Service After Hurricane Ian

Within the devastating wake of Hurricane Ian, wi-fi carriers are providing free service for cellular phone customers hardest hit by the storm.

AT&T, Verizon and T-Cellular all introduced plans Thursday to waive costs and charges for patrons within the areas which have been impacted by Ian. They’re additionally working with public security businesses and emergency shelters to verify cellular phone service is maintained.

Ian, which made landfall Wednesday as a strong Class 4 hurricane, blasted Florida with heavy rain, excessive winds and storm surge, endangering lives and inflicting untold billions of {dollars} in harm.

Florida residents had been choosing up the items Thursday because the storm moved northward towards the Carolinas.

AT&T

AT&T, the nation’s largest wi-fi provider, is chopping prospects a break for a month on any overage costs.

“To maintain wi-fi prospects related in areas that could be affected by Hurricane Ian, we’re waiving discuss, textual content and information overage costs,” AT&T introduced Thursday.

That features AT&T postpaid and pay as you go prospects with billing addresses in 828 ZIP codes throughout Florida from now via Oct. 28.

The ZIP codes in query are unfold all through southwestern Florida, central Florida and Florida’s west coast. The affected space contains Fort Myers and Naples, in addition to the Tampa Bay space and Orlando.

“To help within the restoration, we’re now welcoming different carriers’ prospects to roam on our networks to allow them to join, even when their provider’s service isn’t accessible after the storm,” AT&T added.

Verizon

The nation’s second-largest provider, Verizon, is eliminating all costs for a shorter time period for patrons affected by Ian. Verizon cellular phone prospects in ZIP codes which have been impacted by the hurricane may have entry to limitless home discuss, textual content and information via Tuesday, Oct. 4, the corporate introduced.

The ZIP codes are largely the identical because the ZIP codes the place AT&T is giving prospects a break. Verizon prospects ought to click on right here to see eligible ZIP codes, which embrace Brevard, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Orange, Osceola, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota and Volusia counties.

Verizon additionally has a disaster response workforce establishing transportable cell websites, Wi-Fi scorching spots and free charging stations in essentially the most closely broken areas.

T-Cellular

T-Cellular, the nation’s third-largest provider, can be providing limitless discuss, textual content and information via Monday, Oct. 3, for patrons in a lot of Florida and elements of Georgia who’ve been impacted by Ian, the corporate introduced.

Disaster groups are bringing in transportable mills, cellular command facilities and momentary wi-fi community options comparable to Cells on Wheels and Cells on Mild Vehicles.

Mike Brassfield ([email protected]) is a senior author at The BaghdadTime.