Cell phone users get some Gustav breaks

New Orleans CityBusiness, Sep 10, 2008 by Jaime Guillet

Most cellular phone service providers are dealing with customers on a case-by-case basis when it comes to Hurricane Gustav, a marked contrast to the overarching policies many companies employed for Hurricane Katrina.

Despite power outages that kept most southeastern Louisiana residents from their homes and jobs for several days after Gustav, the majority of providers will review individual clients' situations rather than granting mass rate cuts.

AT&T Wireless, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless will review customers' accounts separately while Sprint and Alltel have declared policies for all New Orleans area account holders.

Alltel is adding 1,000 free nationwide minutes as well as unlimited text messaging to customers' accounts from areas where mandatory evacuations were ordered in preparation for Gustav. The 1,000 free minutes and unlimited texting will be given to consumer and business customers for use from Aug. 29 to Sept. 12. Sprint is waiving any overage charges for minutes and text messages for "current billing cycles" and eliminating all late fees associated with bill payments, spokeswoman Kristin Wallace said.

"The good news is customers won't have to do anything," Wallace said. "They will see the adjustments on their next statements."

By comparison, Sprint provided a free month of cellular service for all customers in Katrina-affected parishes.

Verizon Wireless spokeswoman Gretchen LeJeune said the company halted its "outreach efforts" on collections from delinquent clients following Gustav, although she was unsure of the dates. LeJeune said the company deployed mobile units to Houma and Baton Rouge to provide customers with wireless Internet service and free calls.

"By Friday (Aug. 5) we did have a good crowd," LeJeune said.

Similarly, AT&T and T-Mobile sent mobile units and established free Wi-Fi service and calls within their retail stores for customers who could re-enter the metro area. AT&T provided provided 4,000 free wireless GoPhone devices with $15 in airtime to residents who were ordered to evacuate their homes. It also provided free phone calls for hurricane victims at retail locations in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and portions of northwest Florida.

AT&T is "working with customers on a case-by-case basis to address individual questions or concerns about service or billing," spokeswoman Dawn Benton said.

"Our network performed well and nearly all of the company's wireless cell sites are operational," Benton said.