AT&T Satellite COLT and fleet truck after landing at the San Juan airport and Sprint engineers arriving in Puerto Rico.
AT&T was able to land a large cargo plane in San Juan with much-needed network equipment, including portable cell sites and more satellite phones last Thursday. That’s in addition to previous plane loads carrying personnel, generators and satellite phones for first responders, in addition to food and water. The carrier planned to send another ship loaded with network equipment, including additional portable cell sites and generators.
AT&T’s first plane carrying supplies also arrived in the U.S. Virgin Islands on Thursday. Generators, personnel and additional supplies will arrive in the coming days. The carrier previously sent a ship to USVI with high capacity generators.
More than 13,500 have signed up for AT&T’s website that lets anyone stateside (regardless of carrier) register the cell phone number of a family member or friend who is an AT&T wireless customer in Puerto Rico. When the Puerto Rico-based customer’s cell phone connects to our network in Puerto Rico, the customer is notified that their family or friends in the U.S. have been trying to contact them. Landline customers can make free calls between the U.S. and Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. AT&T is extending payment dates for impacted AT&T Prepaid customers with voice and text service through September 29.
Sprint, meanwhile, mobilized technical staff to review the state of its sites in PR and expedite reconstruction to reestablish communication as quickly and safely as possible. Sprint shipped generators and parts required for restoration, and crews of engineers and technicians. It plans more shipments in the days ahead.
The carrier stores across Florida are hosting a collection drive to benefit PR and USVI. Items collected in participating Sprint retail stores throughout Florida from now through October 8, will be distributed to affected communities and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Contact stores in advance to see if they are participating through Sprint’s Store Locator.
“Dropping off a donation at one of Sprint’s retail stores is such a simple act,” said Claudio Hidalgo, Sprint’s Regional President for Florida, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. “But the generosity of all Floridians who give back means so much to our local communities.”
And Verizon announced support for the residents of Puerto Rico through a $1 million pledge to fund Hurricane Maria relief efforts. Verizon partnered with the American Red Cross and World Vision.
“Verizon is committed to supporting communities struggling in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, as we’ve done with Harvey and Irma,” said Verizon Chairman/CEO Lowell McAdam. “We will be working with local network operators, our nonprofit partners and, of course, our employees to assist the Puerto Rican people in rebuilding their lives and I encourage anyone with the means and opportunity to do so to come to their aid.” Verizon will match employees’ contributions, dollar-for-dollar, to select hurricane relief-focused organizations.
October 2, 2017
Reader Interactions