Tag: Roaming

How are Cellular Carriers Handling the Hurricane?

As Hurricane Ian continues to wreak havoc on our East coast, many people will find themselves without power or cellular service. However, AT&T just made an announcement yesterday that they are taking new measures to ensure customers of other carriers can stay connected. Thankfully, Verizon and T-Mobile have announced similar efforts. 

During and after the storm, AT&T will have roaming available to all locations affected by the hurricane. In a statement they said the following:

“We are working to help the people affected by Hurricane Ian in Florida. To assist in the recovery, we’re now welcoming other carriers’ customers to roam on our networks so they can connect, even if their carrier’s service isn’t available after the storm. Once this roaming begins, customers will automatically be connected to our network.”

Verizon’s announcement also came yesterday. They are currently working on refueling generators at its cell sites to ensure they stay running. Their engineers also started to deploy mobile assets (temporary mobile network equipment), prioritizing core public safety and government EOCs including police departments, fire departments, search and rescue teams. In affected areas, customers will have unlimited calling, texting, and data until October 4, 2022.

T-Mobile made a similar announcement and will be providing unlimited connections to customers in affected areas until October 3. They explained that their teams are on the ground checking equipment where it’s safe to do so. Teams are also working in the hardest hit areas to restore service. Per their announcement:

“Additional emergency equipment and teams have been staged in Alabama, Georgia and parts of Florida and are deploying into impacted areas where it is safe to do so. This includes mobile network command centers, generators and fuel trucks, along with mobile network equipment such as COLTs and SatCOLTs (Cells on Light Trucks and Satellite Cells on Light Trucks) and COWs (Cells on Wheels).”

We wish all of those in Florida a quick and safe recovery and hope that our friends along the rest of the east coast stay safe as well.

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EU Extends the Free Mobile Roaming Policy Until 2032

According to the European Commission, mobile “roaming” will remain free within the European Union until 2032. 

In a press release announcing the agreement to extend the free roaming policy, the European Commission said:

Citizens will be able to call, text and use mobile data while traveling within the EU at no extra costs and with the same quality they experience at home; they will have improved access to emergency communications regardless of where they are in Europe; and, they will have the right to clear information when a service they use while roaming might cause inadvertent extra charges. The regulation will enter into force on July 1st 2022.

Prior to 2017, when roaming charges were abolished in the EU, travelers across Europe would often get hit with excessive phone bills upon returning home, with network operators charging exorbitant fees for calls, text, and data used abroad. Years of campaigning saw that the practice was stopped. 

Given that the United Kingdom has formally exited the European Union, UK residents won’t be able to enjoy the benefits of free roaming when they use their phones abroad. Originally, EE, O2, Three, and Vodafone –  the largest mobile operators in the UK – stated they had no plans to reintroduce roaming charges after Brexit, but all have since announced changes, some under a “fair use” clause.

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