In the Wake of Recent Storms, Verizon Wireless Encourages Alabama Customers to Be Prepared for Hurricane Season
Nine Hurricanes Predicted This Season, Verizon Wireless Network Prepared
MOBILE, Ala., May 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless' Alabama network team responded quickly to the tornadoes that swept across central and north Alabama in late April, and the team is ready once again as hurricane season gets underway June 1. Researchers at Colorado State University have predicted nine hurricanes will form in the Atlantic Ocean in 2011, with five of those storms developing into major hurricanes packing sustained winds of 111 miles per hour or more. The company encourages customers to be prepared as well with an emergency communication plan to keep their families safe and in touch.
Verizon Wireless prepares year round for the possibility of such severe weather. The company invested nearly $120 million in Alabama last year to strengthen and enhance its wireless network, ensuring Alabamians comprehensive, reliable wireless coverage in the case of severe weather, and every day. Network enhancements since last year's storm season include installing new in-building network systems at hospitals, government and emergency facilities, high-traffic public venues and other key locations.
Verizon also has a fleet of dozens of Cells on Wheels (COWS), Cells on Light Trucks (COLTS), and generators on trailers (GOaTS) that can be rolled into hard-hit locations or areas that need extra network capacity. In the days following the April tornadoes, Verizon utilized these resources along with temporary towers and mobile communication stores deployed to the hardest hit areas of the state.
"We work hard year-round to ensure we are ready for emergency situations," said Jeff Mango, president of the Alabama/Georgia region for Verizon Wireless. "Even as we continue to be a part of rebuilding efforts in central and north Alabama, we are also very focused on gearing back up and being ready for the next severe weather event."
Other ongoing efforts to ensure a reliable network during the storm season and year-round include:
- A comprehensive emergency response plan, including preparing emergency command centers across Mobile in the case of a storm or other crisis.
- Network technicians, who serve as the inspiration for the famous TV Test Man commercials, travel hundreds of thousands of miles across Mobile in high-tech vehicles to measure the quality of Verizon Wireless voice and data service calls all across the state.
- Pre-arranging fuel delivery to mobile units and generators to keep the network operating at full strength even if power is lost for an extended period of time.
- Erecting new digital cell sites, of which about 80 percent have their own on-site generators and new expanded fuel tanks to extend their power-generating capacity.
Verizon Wireless offers these tips to customers as they also prepare for hurricane season:
- Keep phones, batteries, chargers and other equipment in a dry, accessible location. Consider waterproof accessories or simple zip-lock storage bags to protect devices.
- Keep wireless phone batteries fully charged – in case local power is lost – well before warnings are issued.
- Have additional charged batteries and car-charger adapters available for back-up power.
- Maintain a list of emergency numbers – police and fire agencies; power and insurance companies; family, friends and co-workers; etc. – and program them into your phone.
- Distribute wireless phone numbers to family members and friends.
- Download from a wide variety of weather- and safety-related applications for smartphones, tablets and other devices. Many of these apps are free.
- Use a service such as Backup Assistant, the free Verizon Wireless application that stores a phone's address book on a secure server in case the phone is lost or damaged.
For more information on the Verizon Wireless network, products and services, visit www.verizonwireless.com.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's fastest, most advanced 4G network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 104 million total wireless connections, including more than 88 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
SOURCE Verizon Wireless
WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?
Newsrooms &
Influencers
Digital Media
Outlets
Journalists
Opted In
Share this article