SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- As a
"once-in-a-decade" storm prepares to hit California this weekend, AT&T* has
activated storm preparedness protocols to minimize the impact on
our customers.
Among our preparations:
- We top off fuel at generators and test high-capacity back-up
batteries at cell sites.
- We install "Quick Connect Generator Plugs" at many of our cell
sites and stage additional emergency response equipment in
strategic locations.
- We continue to enhance our network in storm-prone areas by
installing more back-up and permanent generators at critical cell
sites.
"We know our customers rely on us, particularly during extreme
weather conditions like we are expecting over the
weekend," said Ken McNeely,
president, AT&T California. "That's why we perform extensive
drills and simulations throughout the year. We do all we can to
have our networks prepared when severe weather strikes."
Just as we prepare our networks and personnel, we encourage
residents and small businesses to consider the following
recommendations:
- Keep your wireless phone batteries charged at all times.
Have an alternate plan to recharge your battery in case of a power
outage. Consider using your car charger for your device or having
extra phone batteries on hand. You can also protect your home
phone, internet, and mobile devices from power outages with a
battery backup plan.
- Keep your wireless phone dry. The biggest threat to your
device during storms is water, so keep your equipment safe from the
elements. Store it in a baggie or some other type of protective
covering.
- Have a family communication plan in place. Designate
someone out of the area as a central contact, and make certain
that all family members know who to contact if case of separation.
Most importantly, practice your emergency plan in advance.
- Program all of your emergency contact numbers and e-mail
addresses into your phone. Numbers should include the police
department, fire station and hospital, as well as your family
members.
- Forward your home number to your wireless number in the
event of an evacuation. Because call forwarding happens out of
the telephone central office, your landline phone will get incoming
calls even if your local telephone service is inoperable at your
home. In the unlikely event that the central office is not
operational, services such as Voicemail, Call Forwarding, Remote
Access call forwarding and call forwarding busy line/don't answer
may be useful.
- Track the storm and access weather information on your
wireless device. Many homes lose power during severe weather.
If you have a wireless device that provides access to the Internet,
you can keep updated with local radar and severe weather
alerts
- Camera phones provide assistance. If you have a camera
phone, take, store and send photos — even video clips — of damaged
property to your insurance company from your device.
- Take advantage of location-based mapping
technology. Services such as AT&T Navigator and
AT&T FamilyMap can help you seek evacuation routes or avoid
traffic congestion from downed trees or power lines. You can also
track a family member's wireless device in case you get
separated.
Maximizing Service During and After Severe Weather:
- Try text messaging. During an emergency, texts may go
through more quickly than voice calls because they require fewer
network resources. All of our wireless devices are text messaging
capable. Depending on your text or data plan, additional charges
may apply.
- Prepare for high call volume. During an emergency, many
people try to use their phones at the same time. The increased
volume may create network congestion, leading to "fast busy"
signals on your wireless phone or a slow dial tone on your landline
phone. If this happens, hang up, wait several seconds and then try
the call again. This allows your original call data to clear the
network before you try again.
- Keep non-emergency calls to a minimum. And limit your
calls to the most important ones. If there is severe weather,
chances are many people will be attempting to place calls to loved
ones, friends and business associates.
Small Business Tips:
- Set up a call-forwarding service to a predetermined backup
location. Set up a single or multiple hotline number(s) for
employees, employees' families, customers and partners, as
appropriate, to call so all parties know about the business
situation and emergency plan. For this to be most effective,
maintain an updated contact list, including mobile and home phone
numbers and e-mail addresses, for all employees.
- Protect hardware/software/data records/employee records,
etc. Routinely back up files to an off-site location. Use a
generator to supply backup power to vital computer hardware and
other mission-critical equipment. Prearrange the replacement of
damaged hardware with vendors to ensure quick business
recovery.
- Outline detailed plans for evacuation and shelter-in-place
plans. Practice these plans (employee training, etc.).
Establish a backup location for your business and meeting place for
all employees.
- Assemble a crisis-management team and coordinate efforts
with neighboring businesses and building management. Be aware
that disasters affecting your suppliers also affect your business.
Outline a plan for supply chain continuity for business
essentials.
See more information and tips for disaster preparedness at
www.att.com/vitalconnections.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by
subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T
brand and not by AT&T Inc.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) helps millions
around the globe connect with leading entertainment, mobile, high
speed internet and voice services. We're one of the world's largest
providers of pay TV. We have TV customers in the U.S. and 11 Latin
American countries. We offer the best global coverage of any U.S.
wireless provider.* And we help businesses worldwide serve their
customers better with our mobility and highly secure cloud
solutions.
Additional information about AT&T products and services is
available at http://about.att.com. Follow our news on Twitter at
@ATT, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/att and YouTube at
http://www.youtube.com/att.
© 2017 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved.
AT&T, the Globe logo and other marks are trademarks and service
marks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated
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*Global coverage claim based on offering discounted voice and
data roaming; LTE roaming; voice roaming; and world-capable
smartphone and tablets in more countries than any other U.S. based
carrier. International service required. Coverage not available in
all areas. Coverage may vary per country and be limited/restricted
in some countries.
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SOURCE AT&T Inc.