Galveston, Texas (Photo by Thomas B.
Shea/Getty Images) Hurricane Laura made landfall in Louisiana today as a Category 4 storm.
And while it has since weakened to a Category 2 storm, sustained winds still top 100mph, leaving death and destruction in their wake.
More than 400,000 Louisiana residents are currently without power, Nola.com reports, as are more than 11,000 in East Texas, making mobile communication essential.
As they have with previous hurricanes, mobile carriers are now offering unlimited service to customers in affected areas.
Here's what you need to know:
AT&T
AT&T is offering unlimited talk/text/data to customers in 721 ZIP codes in South Texas and Louisiana from Aug.
26 through Sept.
1.
Credits will be issued and service charges will be waived automatically as needed.
If you receive billing alerts, you can disregard them as "accounts will reflect the credits and/or waived data, voice and text charges," AT&T says.
"Overall, our wireless network in Texas and Louisiana is performing well," AT&T said in a statement.
"We continue to assess damage and we are working to address wireless and wireline customers who were affected by storm damage and power outages.
With extensive flooding and commercial power outages in parts of the state, back-up batteries and generators continue to provide power to our facilities."
If you get video and home internet service from AT&T, call 1-800-288-2020 about damaged equipment or to pause service; legacy DirecTV customers can call 1-800-531-5000.
T-Mobile (and Sprint)
T-Mobile Cells on Light Trucks (COLTs) T-Mobile says the "majority" of its customers are already on plans with unlimited talk, text and data; it did not say whether those who are not will get a temporary upgrade.
On the ground, T-Mobile has deployed a fleet of Community Relief Trucks containing charging equipment and other supplies.
Some retail stores in Texas and Louisiana might be closed, so T-Mobile encourages people to call before heading over.
Verizon
Verizon Cells on Light Truck (COLT) Verizon is offering unlimited call/text/data for customers directly affected by Hurricane Laura.
Customers in the following parishes and counties will receive the upgraded service from Aug.
26 through Sept.
1:
Louisiana: Acadia, Calcasieu, East Cameron, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Orange, Southern Newton, Vermilion, and West Cameron
Texas: Allen, Beauregard, Bolivar Peninsula, Chambers, Coastal Galveston, Coastal Harris, Evangeline, Galveston Island, Hardin, Inland Galveston, Northern Jasper, Northern Liberty, Northern Newton, Polk, Rapides, Southern Jasper, Southern Liberty, Tyler, and Vernon
Customers in these counties and parishes will get the same from Aug.
28 through Sept.
1:
Louisiana: De Soto, Natchitoches, Red River, Sabine
Texas: Angelina, Nacogdoches, Sabine, San Augustine, and Shelby
To verify eligibility, postpaid customers can go here, while prepaid customers can go here.
Check on the status of nearby stores at verizonwireless.com/stores.
Verizon is also mobilizing in coordination with first responders to provide charging stations, devices, special equipment, and emergency vehicles. First responder customers with wireless priority service should dial *272 when placing calls, Verizon says.
Galveston, Texas (Photo by Thomas B.
Shea/Getty Images) Hurricane Laura made landfall in Louisiana today as a Category 4 storm.
And while it has since weakened to a Category 2 storm, sustained winds still top 100mph, leaving death and destruction in their wake.
More than 400,000 Louisiana residents are currently without power, Nola.com reports, as are more than 11,000 in East Texas, making mobile communication essential.
As they have with previous hurricanes, mobile carriers are now offering unlimited service to customers in affected areas.
Here's what you need to know:
AT&T
AT&T is offering unlimited talk/text/data to customers in 721 ZIP codes in South Texas and Louisiana from Aug.
26 through Sept.
1.
Credits will be issued and service charges will be waived automatically as needed.
If you receive billing alerts, you can disregard them as "accounts will reflect the credits and/or waived data, voice and text charges," AT&T says.
"Overall, our wireless network in Texas and Louisiana is performing well," AT&T said in a statement.
"We continue to assess damage and we are working to address wireless and wireline customers who were affected by storm damage and power outages.
With extensive flooding and commercial power outages in parts of the state, back-up batteries and generators continue to provide power to our facilities."
If you get video and home internet service from AT&T, call 1-800-288-2020 about damaged equipment or to pause service; legacy DirecTV customers can call 1-800-531-5000.
T-Mobile (and Sprint)
T-Mobile Cells on Light Trucks (COLTs) T-Mobile says the "majority" of its customers are already on plans with unlimited talk, text and data; it did not say whether those who are not will get a temporary upgrade.
On the ground, T-Mobile has deployed a fleet of Community Relief Trucks containing charging equipment and other supplies.
Some retail stores in Texas and Louisiana might be closed, so T-Mobile encourages people to call before heading over.
Verizon
Verizon Cells on Light Truck (COLT) Verizon is offering unlimited call/text/data for customers directly affected by Hurricane Laura.
Customers in the following parishes and counties will receive the upgraded service from Aug.
26 through Sept.
1:
Louisiana: Acadia, Calcasieu, East Cameron, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Orange, Southern Newton, Vermilion, and West Cameron
Texas: Allen, Beauregard, Bolivar Peninsula, Chambers, Coastal Galveston, Coastal Harris, Evangeline, Galveston Island, Hardin, Inland Galveston, Northern Jasper, Northern Liberty, Northern Newton, Polk, Rapides, Southern Jasper, Southern Liberty, Tyler, and Vernon
Customers in these counties and parishes will get the same from Aug.
28 through Sept.
1:
Louisiana: De Soto, Natchitoches, Red River, Sabine
Texas: Angelina, Nacogdoches, Sabine, San Augustine, and Shelby
To verify eligibility, postpaid customers can go here, while prepaid customers can go here.
Check on the status of nearby stores at verizonwireless.com/stores.
Verizon is also mobilizing in coordination with first responders to provide charging stations, devices, special equipment, and emergency vehicles. First responder customers with wireless priority service should dial *272 when placing calls, Verizon says.
