Hurricane Dorian: How Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint plan to help customers

gettyimages-1164775779

Hurricane Dorian is set to be a Category 4 by the time it hits Florida. 


Getty Images

The big four US wireless carriers — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint — have turned to social media to ensure customers they’re taking steps to help keep people connected as Hurricane Dorian draws near

Verizon tweeted on Friday that it’s offering unlimited calling, texting and data for customers in the path of the hurricane. In a blog post, the carrier said its prepaid, postpaid and small-business customers in the path of the hurricane will have unlimited calling, data and texting from Sept. 2- Sept. 9

“Floridians are in our thoughts as they get ready for Dorian to make landfall,” John Granby, president of Verizon’s Consumer Group South Area, said in the post. “We know that people have a lot of work to do in order to prepare for a major hurricane, and this is one small thing we can do to ensure they are able to connect worry-free before, during and after the storm.”

The same day, AT&T tweeted that it’s waiving data overages in the affected Florida areas from Sept. 2- Sept. 8. In a blog post, AT&T said it was monitoring and preparing for the hurricane

“Customers rely on us, especially during major storms,” Joe York, president, AT&T Southeast, said in the post. “That’s why we practice readiness drills and simulations throughout the year and do all we can to have our networks prepared when severe weather strikes. At this point, we are actively working to position equipment and crews, and are ready to respond to support our customers if needed.”

On Wednesday, Sprint tweeted a message about its own preparation and said it’s ready to keep customers connected during and after the storm. The carrier said it’ll waive call, text and data overage fees for Sprint customers in the US Virgin Islands. 

T-Mobile, like Sprint, will be providing updates for customers on its website. The carrier reminded its customers that if they have Magenta, T-Mobile One or Simple Choice plans, they’ll always have unlimited talk, text and data. Customers on T-Mobile Metro have unlimited talk and text on all plans. 

Hurricane Dorian could potentially be a Category 4 with winds up to 140 mph by the time it makes landfall along the Florida coast, expected early next week. Dorian became a Category 1 on Wednesday and graduated to a Category 2 the next day. Satellites and meteorologists are tracking the storm. 

You can find ways to prepare for the storm from your weather services or other resources. The Techy Trends also has a list of helpful tips for emergencies.


Now playing:
Watch this:

How to use emergency contacts for Android and iOS



1:53