T-Mobile getting ready for this year’s hurricane season

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Hurricane season is coming up and T-Mobile wants you to know that it is prepared to quickly respond and support its customers that need it the most. 

Officially, hurricane season is between the months of June 1st until November 30th. Last year, 30 named storms hit the country, a number that has been recognized as the most-ever on record. And with the prediction that there will be above-average storm activity this year, T-Mo is doing its best to be prepared for swift response. 

With its combined resources with Sprint, T-Mobile is confident that it can achieve this. Here are some of the steps that T-Mo has taken to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season:

  • T-Mobile has collaborated with weather forecasting partners, such as the National Weather Service and StormGeo, to accurately track a hurricane’s path and potential severity.
  • All network switches, points of presence and other key sites are equipped with fixed backup generators that help keep the network running during power outages. 
  • T-Mobile has invested in operational readiness by adding thousands of new backup generators and advanced relief and recovery tools at sites in hurricane-prone areas. 
  • T-Mobile tests and improves the network’s backup and response systems. 

In addition to these steps, T-Mobile has further increased its network emergency response capabilities. They have prepared more resources to respond to hurricane-prone communities after storms. One way they have done this is by increasing the size of their fleet of rapid response vehicles. These vehicles are able to drive to affected areas and restore signal quickly. T-Mo also has a pool of expert technicians, engineers and community support teams that can be quickly deployed after a hurricane has hit. Apart from working on the networks, these teams can provide charging stations and other personal cellular supplies. 

T-Mobile has also given some tips to its customers on how they can prepare for the hurricane season and what to do during a service interruption. Here are some of those tips that the Un-Carrier has shared on its blog post: 

What to do during service interruption:

  • If you have home broadband and power but no mobile service, try Wi-Fi calling, which allows T-Mobile and Sprint customers with capable devices to text and make and receive voice calls via any capable Wi-Fi connection. IMPORTANT: If you have to call 911 using Wi-Fi, be sure to give your address to the operator.
  • If you are connected to the T-Mobile or Sprint networks, keep calls to a minimum and as short as possible. This helps reduce the load on our network so others can get through.
  • If you are a Sprint customer on the Sprint network, you can roam on the T-Mobile network if the Sprint network is impacted and T-Mobile is not.
  • Send a text instead of making a call. Text messages get through easier during times of congestion.

More tips to prepare:

  • Review the American Red Cross’ tips for Hurricane Safety to help keep your family and home safe.
  • Make a disaster kit! Include things like batteries, snacks, water, first aid kit, flashlight and device chargers.
  • Update your family, friends and emergency services contact numbers. Make sure they’re saved and backed up or written down someplace accessible.
  • If you’re planning to evacuate, let your family and friends know your evacuation plan, where you’re going and how to reach you.
  • Subscribe to local authorities’ text alerts and connect with local authorities’ social networks to learn about new developments before, during and after a disaster.
  • Keep your mobile devices fully charged! Have charging cables handy and consider investing in a car charger or other portable charging device.
  • Protect your technology with waterproof, resealable plastic bags.
  • Download emergency-assistance apps from the Red Cross and FEMA.
  • Make sure your phone supports Wireless Emergency Alerts and enable notifications on your device. Visit www.t-mobile.com/wea for details on how to set up alerts on T-Mobile and Sprint devices.
  • Set up Wi-Fi Calling on your phone. For Apple phones, go to Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calling; and for Android phones, go to Settings > More Connection Settings > Wi-Fi Calling.

You can read more about what T-Mobile is doing to prepare for the season here

 

Source: T-Mobile

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