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It goes without saying that 2020 was a year unlike others in recent memory for so many reasons, not least of which is the sheer number of severe weather and natural events that have impacted — and at times devastated — communities across the U.S. The 2020 hurricane season alone shattered records, producing 31 named storms (a typical season produces around 12 named storms). During those times, it's critical that people maintain connectivity to friends and loved ones, and equally important that governments, emergency management workers and first responders have ready access to communications so they can continue to serve communities in the aftermath of an incident. That’s where T-Mobile’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) comes into play to provide temporary connectivity solutions when other critical connectivity is lost due to an emergency situation.

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Part of T-Mobile’s Technology Service Delivery & Operations organization, the ERT addresses needs of specific types of customers when an incident occurs that affects connectivity, working closely with the Emergency Management Team (EMT) and <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/community/dealing-with-disaster-season-2020" data-type="URL">Community Response Team</a> (CRT). While EMT serves T-Mobile’s consumer customers after a natural event, ERT’s customers range from government and public safety entities to humanitarian organizations and local school districts, in addition to law enforcement and fire rescue; the team’s work is integral and felt far beyond the immediate community they’re stationed in.

In 2020, an incredibly active disaster season and COVID-19 response meant the T-Mobile ERT was deployed over 50 times in response to wildfires, tornadoes and hurricanes. And though disaster response is hard work, members of the team wouldn’t have it any other way. “When you’re in the field and you see damage, destruction, loss of life and loss of property and you’re able to witness the resources that you bring to bear affect people’s lives — that’s what is the most motivating and rewarding thing being a part of the Emergency Response Team,” says T-Mobile Business Development Manager Rodney Cooper.

Cooper began his career in the telecommunications industry in 2001 with Nextel Partners, which was later acquired by Sprint. Along with Business Development Manager Casey Muilenburg who started at Sprint in 2004 after 16 years serving in the Armed Forces, they are now both a part of the newly combined T-Mobile, and their core mission and responsibilities remain the same. “T-Mobile’s Emergency Response Team is responsible for providing deployable equipment and infrastructure to make sure the responders and businesses impacted by or supporting an event have communication support for their mission and community support,” says Muilenburg.

Cooper credits his nearly 20-year career in the telecommunications industry and experience developing relationships and understanding local and state public safety communications for preparing him for his role on ERT. “I joined the telecom industry just three months prior to 9/11,” says Cooper. “I found my passion working with government, and more particularly public safety.”

For Muilenburg, it’s his years he spent in the military — four years in the Marine Corps, 12 years in the Air Force Reserves and two combat deployments to Iraq — and prior account management experience that he says has had the most instrumental impact in preparing him for this important work and understanding the needs of government and business.

And despite a combined 35 years of telecoms experience and history between them, 2020 was one for the books. “This was one of the busiest years we have ever had,” Cooper says. “It was non-stop since March.”

In August, after <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/community/hurricane-marco-and-tropical-storm-laura">Hurricane Laura</a> struck the Louisiana Gulf Coast, causing some of the worst devastation the U.S. saw during this past year’s hurricane season, the ERT was in regular communication with local government entities and organizations leading public safety initiatives, and coordinating efforts to get <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/community/emergency-response-equipment">Cells on Light Trucks (COLTs) and Cells on Wheels (COWs)</a> with temporary cellular service solutions and satellite data to impacted areas. This included partnering with a nonprofit organization to help three rural schools in Lake Charles, LA that had to pause classes after they lost connectivity in the wake of Hurricane Laura. The ERT also provided loaner mobile phone devices and hotspots to the school district’s administrative staff.

Cooper recalls when a derecho (a storm akin to a tornado that moves in a straight line; the word means “straight ahead” in Spanish) swept across Iowa in August 2020, causing devastation and loss of communications due to downed infrastructure; three Des Moines area Disaster Recovery Centers — natural disaster community resource centers that provide essentials — in particular were in need of connectivity in order to support residents impacted by the storm.

Cooper arranged for a SatCOLT (Cells on Light Truck with a satellite built into the vehicle) and routers to be brought in that would provide LTE connectivity and access to the T-Mobile network. “Because of how closely we work with our Emergency Management Team partners, we were able to direct equipment they already had in the area to support those three Disaster Recovery Centers for two to three weeks to provide the community much-needed connectivity,” says Cooper. “Once people had access to communications, they were able to talk to loved ones, file insurance claims, request assistance from FEMA, request assistance from the state or do their online banking.”

During 2020’s West Coast wildfires, including the summer CZU Lightning Complex Fires in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties, the team delivered connectivity to hundreds of displaced evacuees who were transported in RVs to a local church in Soquel, CA with a SatCOLT, and were able to put up another cellular bubble of coverage around the building itself. “They also didn’t have any wireline services there, so we brought in a flyaway satellite kit and put up another WiFi network so that not only T-Mobile customers had a way to communicate, but anyone with a device regardless of carrier could communicate out,” says Muilenburg.

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In September, when the Holiday Farm Fire was blazing in McKenzie Bridge, OR, the blaze burned through the local fiber, causing loss of all service for miles. After an area government agency reached out to T-Mobile requesting internet and cellular service support, Muilenburg worked to deploy a SatCOLT — particularly critical for a nearby medical facility — and coordinated 30 pre-lit devices be dropped off at the community grade school.

Because of these efforts, “the medical facility was able to start triaging and processing patients in the area and the kids were able to go back to school to start learning and get back to some normalcy,” says Muilenburg. “We also supported first responders in the area who would stop by so they could communicate out. That's the true benefit of what we do. We provide them a way to communicate so that they can go out there and do what they need to do to save lives, save assets, save a house, put somebody back in a better spot than they currently are. And that's why I do it, because I know it makes an impact."

In a year that was anything but predictable, the ERT’s mission never ebbed or waned. “One of the things that Cooper and I always focus on is trying to make the process easy for our customers because they are not only worried about communications, but also multiple other things,” says Muilenburg. “We make the process simple, but our solutions are robust so we can expand and be able to support them as necessary during an event.”

“When we talk about the mission of T-Mobile’s ERT, that’s what it’s all about,” says Cooper. “Making a difference.”

For more about how T-Mobile prepares to respond to natural disasters to help keep our customers connected, click <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/network/tracking-historic-weather-conditions-with-stormgeo">here</a> to learn how the company tracks weather conditions.

T-Mobile Newsroom

T-Mobile’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) provides temporary connectivity solutions when other critical connectivity is lost due to an emergency situation, as seen during the brutal 2020 disaster season.

In a Challenging Year, T-Mobile’s Emergency Response Team Focused on Making a Difference When It Mattered Most | T-Mobile Newsroom

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In a Challenging Year, T-Mobile’s Emergency Response Team Focused on Making a Difference When It Mattered Most

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Meet the weather forecasting partner that keeps T-Mobile one step ahead of everything from hurricanes to wildfires.

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The 2020 hurricane season, which runs from the beginning of June through the end of November, has shaped up to be the most active season in recent years. By mid-September, there were enough named storms to cycle through the entire English alphabet, something that has only happened one other year and means all remaining storms of the season take names from the Greek alphabet. This naming convention was established by the <a href="https://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/tcp/">World Meteorological Organization Tropical Cyclone Programme</a> as the 22nd storm formed during the infamous hurricane season of 2005, the year of Hurricane Katrina and when six storms were assigned Greek letters for names (so far this year, nine storms have been assigned Greek letters for names).

Given the historic nature of this year’s hurricane season, it’s more important than ever that T-Mobile keeps a close beat on storm activity. Accurately tracking a storm’s path and severity is critical for the company’s <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/community/emergency-response-equipment">Emergency Management Team</a> as they make preparations and strategically ready their response and recovery efforts to help keep customers connected.

Because of all this, T-Mobile’s partnership with weather forecasting company <a href="https://www.stormgeo.com/">StormGeo</a> has been of crucial importance. Leading up to and in the middle of a storm, T-Mobile works closely with folks on the StormGeo team, like Industry Manager Courtland Keith and Director of Operations Joe Basciani. “We support T-Mobile before, during and after a situation for pretty much all weather events,” says Keith.

Keith is a degreed meteorologist, and in her role at StormGeo works closely with clients, like T-Mobile, to determine the best weather services and solutions for their needs. A weather forecaster by training and practice, Basciani has been in the weather industry since 1996 and now leads the forecasting department at StormGeo, where he’s worked since 2004.

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During a weather event, StormGeo is in constant contact with the T-Mobile team. Working closely with Manager, Engineering Tech Support Jay Blessing, the StormGeo team provides regular reports with updates on the forecast, timing and details about the exact impacts expected at cell sites. “We work hand in hand through each weather event extensively, in order to provide enough information that T-Mobile can plan their crews and put them in the right places so that they’re not caught off guard or in the wrong place at the wrong time,” says Keith.

As part of the constant flow of communication, T-Mobile sets up conference calls with StormGeo. “During a storm event, it’s not infrequent for us to have as many as three to four daily conference calls with operations folks at T-Mobile to discuss their specific regions and assets that are under threat. We help them pinpoint down to the tower and switch level which assets may be impacted by a storm event, either by wind or flood,” says Basciani.

From there, StormGeo is able to put together a forecast for hurricanes as much as 48 to 60 hours before the official agencies begin their forecasting. “That gives our clients, like T-Mobile, a critical leg up in terms of timing,” says Basciani. “They're able to start getting a response moving, start moving assets, preparing resources and making their preparations before the general public may even be aware that there's a threat.”

Storms that threaten the U.S. typically originate from the West Coast of Africa and move across the Atlantic Ocean, but it’s also common to see storm formation in the Gulf of Mexico, according to Basciani and Keith. The southeast U.S. and Gulf states tend to be common areas of impact, but the mid-Atlantic U.S. coast also sees its fair share of storm activity. For their part, StormGeo begins monitoring storms when they are just tropical waves or what is known as “a disturbance” in the Atlantic or the Gulf of Mexico.

“We’re constantly monitoring the tropics and subtropics for any potential disturbances that might develop, and when those disturbances start to look a little suspect, we’ll investigate them further,” says Basciani. “I compare a tropical system to being like a cake: You have to have all the ingredients and they all have to be fairly high-quality ingredients in order for the cake to come together.”

While each storm has different characteristics that make it unique from any other storm, Basciani says the key ingredients that produce a conducive environment for tropical storm development revolve around having a moist and warm environment, as well as favorable wind conditions that don’t disrupt the center of circulation.

“We’ve seen hyperactivity this year because we never had a true cool down of the ocean waters, which stayed fairly warm throughout the season,” says Keith. “Because of how the environment has shaped up to be this year, it’s really caused so many tropical systems to develop.”

The biggest threats to T-Mobile are tropical cyclones that bring heavy rainfall, wind and ocean surge, in addition to storms in the winter months that cause blizzard conditions, according to Basciani. “Flooding, high winds and snow can cause unique challenges to the T-Mobile network, both in terms of the infrastructure itself being impacted and crews being able to respond,” says Basciani, which is why having a heads’ up on the forecast in order to pre-position assets like generators is so critical.

But StormGeo doesn’t just consult on storm weather, they also track and predict wildfire weather conditions. “We identify times when the fire risk is going to be really high,” says Basciani. “When you have the combination of high winds, low humidity and dry antecedent conditions, that’s the recipe for what we call ‘fire weather.’”

Adds Basciani: “Fires can cause tremendous impact to the T-Mobile network,” from physical impacts, like burned equipment and towers, but also when power companies conduct power shut offs. “The power companies will proactively deenergize their power circuits so that if they do have a line that blows down it is not energized and does not spark a wildfire.”

In the event of a power shut off, commercial power could be lost for three to four days at a time per event, impacting T-Mobile’s assets. That’s why tracking fire weather is so important, because “in those situations T-Mobile needs to find alternative sources of power for its infrastructure,” says Basciani. With the help of StormGeo, the wireless provider is able to plan ahead to deploy generators into areas that may experience power shut offs to provide coverage where there could otherwise be a gap due to lack of power, which is critical to keep customers and first responders connected.   

Wildfire season tends to run from August through November, and according to Basciani, “the season got off to a bit of an early start this year.” Similar to the high level of activity we’ve seen this hurricane season, the 2020 wildfire season has already been incredibly active across much of the West Coast. By September, numerous major wildfires had already blazed across many parts of California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado and Utah.

As far as the rest of the year, Keith and Basciani say, based on how the season has already shaped up, we can expect more from both the wildfires and hurricanes. “We’re going to continue to see those fire impacts, and it would not surprise me at all to see us dealing with potential tropical cyclones as late as around Thanksgiving this year,” warns Basciani.

Of course, no matter what the rest of the season has in store, StormGeo will be there working hand-in-hand with T-Mobile to plan and prepare to help keep customers connected.

Given the historic nature of this year’s hurricane season, it’s more important than ever that T-Mobile keeps a close beat on storm activity. Because of all this, the wireless provider's partnership with weather forecasting company StormGeo has been of crucial importance.

Tracking Historic Weather Conditions with StormGeo | T-Mobile Newsroom

Tracking Historic Weather Conditions with StormGeo

Given the historic nature of this year’s hurricane season, it’s more important than ever that T-Mobile keeps a close beat on storm activity. Because of all this, the wireless provider&#039;s partnership with weather forecasting company StormGeo has been of crucial importance.

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Network Update

Our engineering teams continue working around the clock to help keep our customers connected. Overnight, our teams made significant network restoration progress in markets where we saw the greatest impacts to our network.

Over the weekend, our team will continue restoration efforts across impacted areas as it is safe to do so. We expect the network to be fully restored for our customers over the coming days.

We have a wide range of personnel and equipment to aid our response including additional generators, a fleet of temporary network solutions such as Cells on Wheels (COWs), Cells on Light Trucks (COLTs) satellite infrastructure, small cells, Mobile Command Trailers, WiFi hotspots and a host of other physical and technical capabilities to minimize interruptions for our customers.                         

Customer & Community Support

Community relief trucks will begin supporting our customers today, providing additional assistance at retail locations in impacted areas. The trucks will be providing WIFI access and charging facilities in a socially distanced manner in line with COVID restrictions.

As a reminder, T-Mobile is waiving overage charges for talk, text and data for T-Mobile and Sprint customers in select areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama who are not already on unlimited plans. From 10/28 through 11/1, we are providing unlimited talk, text and data for customers in the following locations:

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A number of our stores in impacted areas remain closed today in the aftermath of the storm. As a reminder, if you need to visit us over the coming days, please reach out to your <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/store-locator">local store</a> to confirm they are open. You can also call 611 or 1-800-937-8997 from your handset if you need assistance or have questions about your account or service and we will be happy to help.

Hurricane Zeta made landfall yesterday over the Louisiana Gulf Coast, causing widespread loss of power and outages throughout the impacted region. Our teams are actively working with local authorities to gain safe access into areas impacted by the storm.

Our engineering teams are working hard to deploy generators to impacted areas and create refueling schedules. At this stage, the majority of impacts to our network are in the following areas of the Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina markets:

The aftermath of large storms is often a time of high demand for wireless networks as our customers look to stay in touch with loved ones and authorities. Where possible, we recommend customers send a text instead of making a call. If you need to make a call, we encourage you to try WiFi calling (if you have a working WiFi connection) and keep calls as short as possible.

If you are a Sprint customer on the Sprint network, you can roam on the T-Mobile network if the Sprint network is impacted and T-Mobile is not.

Our teams are actively assessing support needs in communities impacted by Hurricane Zeta. T-Mobile community relief trucks are ready with a number of supplies and assets and will begin deploying where needed over the coming days.

A number of our stores in impacted markets remain closed in the aftermath of the storm. If you need to visit us, please reach out to your <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/store-locator">local store</a> to confirm they are open. You can also call 611 or 1-800-937-8997 from your handset if you need assistance or have questions about your account or service and we will be happy to help.

Help people impacted by Hurricane Zeta. Text ZETA to 90999 to donate $10 to the American Red Cross to help those most affected by Hurricane Zeta. Your donation enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster. This includes providing food, shelter, relief supplies, emotional support and other assistance. Data and text messaging charges may apply, and the one-time donation will show up on their next T-Mobile bill. For more information, please visit: <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.t-mobile.com%2Fcustomers%2Ftext-to-give&data=02%7C01%7CJanielle.GoGuasch%40T-Mobile.com%7C06182c2793414ec7d15708d86c8df772%7Cbe0f980bdd994b19bd7bbc71a09b026c%7C0%7C0%7C637378704358553281&sdata=33WR5xSf0sDnygXNyRo4wclwb5LqJ%2FDUcBSUnv01KVY%3D&reserved=0">https://www.t-mobile.com/customers/text-to-give</a>

See T-Mobile.com for plan information, Terms & Conditions, and other policies.

Our teams standby and continue to closely monitor the situation as Hurricane Zeta makes landfall today over the US Gulf Coast. We are working hard to ensure our employees, stores and facilities are well prepared for storm conditions.

T-Mobile is waiving overage charges for talk, text and data for T-Mobile and Sprint customers in select areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama who are not already on unlimited plans. From 10/28 through 11/1, we are providing unlimited talk, text and data for customers in the following locations:

A number of our stores in projected areas of impact are taking safety precautions and may be closed. If you need to visit us, please reach out to your <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/store-locator" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.t-mobile.com/store-locator">local store</a> to confirm they are open. You can also call 611 or 1-800-937-8997 from your handset if you need assistance or have questions about your account or service and we will be happy to help.

Over the coming days, you can stay up to date on our Hurricane Zeta response and recovery efforts via the following channels:

As Tropical Storm Zeta makes its way across the Gulf of Mexico towards the US Gulf Coast, T-Mobile is closely monitoring the situation and taking steps to ready our emergency response teams to help in impacted communities, as needed. Our teams are prepared to deploy additional personnel and network support equipment as necessary to minimize any potential service interruptions in affected areas.

Part of our preparations may include closing some stores in the coming days, depending on the projected track of the storm. If you need to visit one of our locations, please reach out to your <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/store-locator">local store</a> to confirm their status.

We know how important staying connected is during these events. As a reminder, the majority of T-Mobile and Sprint customers are on plans offering unlimited talk, text and data.

If you are in an area that could potentially be impacted, we encourage you to follow any evacuation orders that may be issued by local authorities and hope that you stay safe over the coming days. In the meantime, we recommend customers, particularly in areas of impact along the Gulf Coast, take the following steps to prepare themselves.

More information on how T-Mobile prepares for storms like Tropical Storm Zeta, is available in the <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/community/preparing-for-the-2020-hurricane-season" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/community/preparing-for-the-2020-hurricane-season">T-Mobile Newsroom</a>.

*During congestion, customers using >50GB/mo. and Essentials customers may notice lower speeds than other customers due to data prioritization. Metro by T-Mobile customers using >35GB/mo. may notice reduced speeds and Metro customers may notice reduced speeds vs. T-Mobile due to prioritization. 

UPDATE: October 30th Network Update                                                                                                              Our

T-Mobile Responds to Hurricane Zeta | T-Mobile Newsroom

T-Mobile Responds to Hurricane Zeta

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Throughout the year, communities across the country may face a number of natural disasters — hurricanes, tornados, wildfires and earthquakes — all of which can bring life-threatening conditions and cause devastation. In the face of any one of these natural events, major concerns center around the safety and well-being of people in impacted communities, from residents to first responders helping the community in the aftermath.

<a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/">T-Mobile</a> knows how important maintaining connectivity is for evacuation coordination, rescue efforts, calling a loved one to check in and more. We are committed to doing as much as we can for our customers by ensuring our network is ready and our emergency teams are prepared with the tools, equipment and gear they need to keep our customers connected.

Preparing for a Natural Disaster T-Mobile works hard to prepare for emergencies and natural disasters that may impact our network, however in the lead up to North America’s 'disaster season,’ marked by the start of hurricane season around June 1, we make a number of <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/community/preparing-for-the-2020-hurricane-season">preparations</a> to ready our network and emergency response. This includes moving our extensive fleet of equipment from warehouse locations and strategically placing them in U.S. regions that are traditionally most vulnerable to severe storm conditions.

Once in the thick of disaster season, the T-Mobile Emergency Management Team (EMT) partners closely with the <a href="https://www.weather.gov/">National Weather Service</a> and other partners, like <a href="https://www.stormgeo.com/">StormGeo</a>, to track storms’ paths and projected areas of impact. We use this information to inform preparations and decide if and where our equipment and teams are needed, and we proceed to proactively send people, supplies and equipment to locations close to the projected areas of impact so that we can quickly and conveniently deploy in the aftermath of a storm, as needed.

First Response After a storm passes through, our teams immediately get to work assessing the network remotely to determine any impacts to cell sites in the area. At the same time, field teams survey conditions on the ground and work with local authorities to ensure safe access into the area from their pre-event locations.

As our EMT assesses their response to best keep our customers connected, they also work very closely with local authorities to determine when it is safe to enter the impacted areas to carry out any repairs, or deploy a number of solutions that can keep cell sites operational, or provide coverage in the event sites are damaged in the storm.

Equipment The T-Mobile EMT utilizes a variety of high-end technology and devices because we know that having the right equipment is critical. To that effect, we’ve specially designed and built some of our equipment and resources to meet our unique response needs to keep our customers in the most vulnerable communities connected.

Here’s a look at the latest and greatest used by our EMT!

Generators All mobile networks rely on commercial power to operate. So, when a power grid is affected by a hurricane, storm, fire, earthquake, etc. as a result of damage caused by flooding or blown-over poles, the network will be interrupted and customers lose service.

When there is a power outage, generators are a key piece of portable equipment that our EMT utilizes to provide temporary power to cell sites connected to the affected power grid. After determining a cell site needs power, our team will set up and connect the generator to the site to restore service. Though there may be some instances, due to terrain, site access, resident restrictions or unsafe conditions that may prevent our teams from deploying generators to a site.

Our EMT utilize several of the highest-quality, best performing generator units available on the market. Plus, all new generators we have invested in meet Tier 4 emission standards, which allows our team to deploy them in every state in the country, including those with the strictest standards. Generator units are large, weighing approximately 4,000 pounds, and run on diesel fuel. So, once set up at a site, our teams will create a refueling schedule and return to the site to refuel the generator as needed until commercial power is back up in an affected area.

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Satellites In instances where there is complete lack of service in an impacted area immediately following a hurricane or other natural event, satellites are a critical device for our teams to bring service into an area that might otherwise have no service.

When safe to do so, our teams drive vehicles outfitted with satellites into areas hit hardest or set up a portable satellite kit directly on the ground in areas with no power or backhaul. Satellites have the capacity to provide basic services like texting, call and limited data to an area in order to support the community. This is especially important for first responders who rely on connectivity for their recovery and rescue efforts.

COLTs and COWs Cells on Light Trucks (COLTs) and Cells on Wheels (COWs) are regularly utilized by our EMT as part of our recovery efforts. COLTs and COWs are unique to T-Mobile and specially designed to meet our EMT’s specific needs.

Once there is safe access into an area after a natural event, our teams drive COLTs and COWs to impacted areas. Using satellite, microwave or the existing circuit, if undamaged, at a site while towers undergo necessary repairs, COLTs and COWS bring coverage to a community that would otherwise have a coverage gap.

While both COWs and COLTs contain satellites and generators and have comparable technology capabilities, there are some physical distinctions. COWs look like a trailer and must be attached to a truck’s hitch in order to be transported, while a COLT’s satellite and generator are built directly into a truck. The advantage of a COLT is that our teams are able to drive them into some areas that may be too difficult or dangerous to tow a COW due to poor road or terrain conditions.

Vehicle Fleet We’ve built out a fleet of roughly 20 different types of vehicles to support our EMT’s specific needs. We deploy our fleet when a major natural event occurs to transport our teams and equipment to areas of impact. Our fleet of vehicles consist of COLTs, COWs, RVs, Jeeps and more. Plus, since our merger with Sprint, we have doubled the number of satellite capable vehicles.

Our RV serves as the Emergency Operation Center, outfitted with monitors, self-contained WIFI access, small kitchen, bed, restrooms and workspaces where our teams can monitor network recovery, check emails and conduct meetings while deployed to communities hit by a storm. Our teams also open the RV up to first responders to utilize the WIFI or take a break.

Our fleet also contains several Jeeps, one of which can provide WIFI and cell coverage, plus has a charging station mounted to the front of the vehicle. We utilize this Jeep when we make visits to evacuation shelters, allowing evacuees to use its services.

Community Support Vehicles It’s important to us that impacted communities have the support and connectivity they need during and immediately following a natural event. When communities are in need, we deploy our Community Support Vehicles to evacuation shelters to provide a range of supplies and services, including water bottles, pre-lit devices, charging stations, WIFI and more. Our team also utilizes Retail Support Trucks that are deployed to assist customers in areas where our local stores may be closed due to damage after a storm.

Click <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/community/dealing-with-disaster-season-2020">here</a> to meet our community response team and learn more about how T-Mobile helps customers and communities in the aftermath of natural disasters.

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T-Mobile knows how important maintaining connectivity is for evacuation coordination, rescue efforts, calling a loved one to check in and more. We are committed to doing as much as we can for our customers by ensuring our network is ready and our emergency teams are prepared with the tools, equipment and gear they need to keep our customers connected.

Gearing Up: A Look at T-Mobile&#039;s Emergency Response Equipment | T-Mobile Newsroom

Gearing Up: A Look at T-Mobile&#8217;s Emergency Response Equipment

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This T-Mobile "Dynamic Duo" Battles Everything from Wildfires to the Pandemic. Here's How.

Among T-Mobile’s crisis-response specialists, this time of year is known as “disaster season” — the stressful weeks at the end of summer and beginning of fall when hurricanes threaten America’s Gulf and Atlantic states, and wildfires typically devastate communities across the American West. And though COVID-19 has changed the way the world operates at a fundamental level, it hasn’t stopped those disasters from coming. In fact, 2020 has turned out to be one of the most demanding disaster seasons in memory, with millions and millions of acres burning in California, Oregon and Washington, while multiple major storms wrecked the entirety of Louisiana … all as the pandemic has completely altered the way disaster relief can be deployed in troubled areas.

In the face of oncoming storms or wildfires, T-Mobile stores must sometimes be closed and alternative retail options must be established. In the aftermath, customers often need emergency connectivity solutions until permanent services and devices are restored. These assistance efforts are led by two T-Mobile superstars: Becky Romero, a senior disaster recovery manager, and Stephanie Kehoe, a senior manager of field operations. Between the two of them, they are the community response team, “small but mighty,” according to Stephanie, covering the preparation, adjustment and deployment — anything non-network-related — of disaster relief from the consumer markets standpoint. They’ve also been adapting to changing pandemic protocols to ensure the safety of their employees and their customers.

“We call each other Batman and Robin,” Becky says.

“One day I’m Batman and she’s Robin,” Stephanie adds. “The next day it’s the other way around. We just work it together.”

When Hurricanes Laura and Sally pummeled Louisiana within a couple weeks of each other from August to September, and wildfires ravaged the entire West Coast, they had (to put it mildly) a hectic month. But, like Becky says, “When we’re dealing with 2020, you gotta find that silver lining wherever you can!”

Stephanie’s key responsibility is managing a nationwide fleet of 15 trucks, 11 dedicated to community response and four mobile store replacements. Becky’s role is to keep the trucks stocked with connectivity supplies that her team hands out to communities for free use for up to 30 days. Both are working remotely right now, leading teams deployed across the U.S. — Stephanie from the greater Philadelphia area and Becky in Texas.

“I’m in Houston,” Becky says, “but my brain is in California, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Colorado, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida.” She adds: “If you’re 30 miles from a fire, you’re not in a bad position, but if you get a knock on the door at 6 AM saying your house is in danger, you grab your children and dogs and run out of the house.”

So you might leave behind your phone, or maybe your charger or tablet. Those are the items — along with mobile hotspots for getting online — that her team provides. Normally that means setting up trucks within impacted communities, usually at local shelters or relief facilities, the moment the area is declared safe, and then staying as long as needed. But, of course, that strategy has had to adjust to rules banning crowds of more than a few people congregating in one place due to coronavirus concerns.

While Stephanie and Becky singlehandedly developed T-Mobile’s disaster relief program from the get go, they have also assembled a cohort of trusted teammates on the ground.

In Lake Charles, Louisiana, which was ravaged by Hurricane Laura, one of the worst storms in state history, their staff has been posted up for weeks and is planning to stay indefinitely. All the while, following socially distant measures due to COVID is top of mind. Rather than letting people come to them, they’ve been minimizing contact and mitigating crowds by distributing items to shelters in individual care packages. They’ve provided the same response in California since wildfires there took off in August.

“We’ve had to challenge ourselves to think, 'How do we still supply the community while minimizing risk?' It was not easy,” Stephanie says. “We came up with the drop-off supply solution. Instead of standing with a table or tent and trucks and going inside shelters to crowds gathered, we put pieces in place to have contactless support. We do prep work to determine needs at each shelter to provide care packages to them. Some people need WiFi; if power is out, they need more charging capabilities.”

The contactless solution has been a great success, she says, both in terms of direct benefit to customers and in keeping the process safe: “We developed processes to ensure trucks are regularly cleaned and employees are getting temperature checked and washing hands and sanitizing assets around them. We’re taking steps to keep everyone safe. We have a number of PPE supplies in the trucks and we take it one shelter and one support activity at a time.”

Along with relief trucks, Stephanie also has four retail replacement trucks at her disposal. When a brick-and-mortar store is damaged or destroyed by a natural disaster, she’ll roll out a retail truck-and-trailer combo into that community to ensure customers have access to the devices and services they need.

“If a store and a truck had a baby, that’s our trailers,” she says. “We can replace a structure with one of our replacement stores within a week.”

The only way she and Becky can accomplish so much work in so little time is by coordinating efforts on both the logistical and practical levels.

“We say it takes a special kind of person to do this job,” Becky says. “You gotta have the passion but you need to understand how to triage. Everyone thinks the world’s coming down but it’s not. Our job is to provide confirmation that we’re gonna get through this. And this is how, this is the process. It takes a person with drive to support but you can’t get frustrated and beat down.”

Says Stephanie, pointing out just how essential it’s been to collaborate with Becky for this disaster season’s relief effort, “It’s not a Stephanie effort, it’s a total team effort. I can’t give trucks to Becky’s group because it just wouldn’t work, she has her own mountains to lift. We’re in lockstep hourly it feels like.”

“I don’t think anyone was prepared for the amount of disaster we’re facing,” she continues. “Everyone supporting the disasters is tired. But the need doesn’t stop, and neither does the work.”

In the face of oncoming storms or wildfires, T-Mobile stores must sometimes be closed and alternative retail options must be established. In the aftermath, customers often need emergency connectivity solutions until permanent services and devices are restored. These assistance efforts are led by two T-Mobile superstars: Becky Romero, a senior disaster recovery manager, and Stephanie Kehoe, a senior manager of field operations.

Dealing with Disaster Season | T-Mobile Newsroom

Dealing with Disaster Season

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Update – October 12th, 2020

Our network engineering team continues to make significant progress, and at this point we are pleased to report that there are only a small number of remaining sites impacted in Houston and Mobile. Our teams continue to refuel deployed generators, and we anticipate remaining impacted sites to be restored in the coming days.

Customer &Community Support

Our community relief trucks continue to support customers in Lafayette and Lake Charles today, providing WiFi access, charging facilities and dropping off pre-lit devices in accordance with social distancing measures for COVID-19.

There are a small number of stores in impacted areas that remain closed. As a reminder, if you need to visit us, please reach out to your <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.t-mobile.com%2Fstore-locator&data=02%7C01%7CAlexandra.Fidler1%40T-Mobile.com%7C50d62f19f3904d739b2008d86ee48f84%7Cbe0f980bdd994b19bd7bbc71a09b026c%7C0%7C0%7C637381275218249693&sdata=FYy5kByw5XyRZYoG%2FYXc%2FBlVPQRFfC%2FE5kEtOCEbUNM%3D&reserved=0">local store</a> to confirm they are open. You can also call 611 or 1-800-937-8997 from your handset if you need assistance or have questions about your account or service and we will be happy to help.

Update – October 11th, 2020

Our network engineering teams continue working hard to restore the network in areas impacted by Hurricane Delta, and overnight significant progress was made. The network in Memphis has been fully restored, and the majority of impacted sites remain in the Houston and Mobile markets at this time. We have a large number of generators deployed, and our teams continue to work quickly to restore those sites as soon as possible.

Community relief trucks will begin supporting our customers in Lafayette and Lake Charles, LA, assisting in locations where there are closed stores. The trucks will be providing WIFI access, charging facilities and dropping off pre-lit devices in a socially distanced manner in line with COVID restrictions.

As a reminder, T-Mobile is waiving overage charges for talk, text and data for T-Mobile, Sprint and Metro by T-Mobile customers in selected areas of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi who are not already on unlimited plans. From 10/9 through 10/15, we are providing unlimited talk, text and data for customers in the following locations:

A number of our stores in TX and LA remain closed. If you need to visit us, please reach out to your <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.t-mobile.com%2Fstore-locator&data=02%7C01%7CAlexandra.Fidler1%40T-Mobile.com%7C0eb352be50184de4702e08d86e1a5b64%7Cbe0f980bdd994b19bd7bbc71a09b026c%7C0%7C0%7C637380406762127663&sdata=ZFTu4kARUCGRIQ86rZW%2FsFBU1leV0Vkwd6ommCr2V%2BY%3D&reserved=0">local store</a> to confirm they are open. You can also call 611 or 1-800-937-8997 from your handset if you need assistance or have questions about your account or service and we will be happy to help.

Update – October 10th, 2020

Hurricane Delta made landfall yesterday evening near Creole, LA, causing damage and power outages throughout the impacted region. Our teams continue to monitor the situation and are working closely with local authorities to gain safe passage into the impacted areas.

At this stage, we’re seeing the majority of impacts to our network in the Mobile, Houston and Memphis markets. Where it is safe to do so, our engineering teams are working hard to deploy generators and create refueling schedules.

The aftermath of large storms is usually a time of high demand for wireless networks as our customers look to stay in touch with loved ones and authorities. We recommend that, where possible, customers send a text instead of making a call. If you need to make a call, we encourage you to try WiFi calling (if you have a working WiFi connection) and keep calls as short as possible.

A number of our stores in TX and LA remain closed in the aftermath of the storm. If you need to visit us, please reach out to your <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/store-locator">local store</a> to confirm they are open. You can also call 611 or 1-800-937-8997 from your handset if you need assistance or have questions about your account or service and we will be happy to help.

Over the coming days, you can stay up to date on our response and recovery efforts via the following channels:

As a reminder, for local updates for Hurricane Delta, check out these sites:

T-Mobile is closely monitoring Hurricane Delta as it makes landfall over the U.S. Gulf Coast. Our rapid-response teams are on standby to assist our customers and help minimize any potential service interruptions. In addition, we are working to ensure our employees, stores and facilities are well prepared for the storm conditions.

A number of our stores in TX and LA are taking safety precautions and may be closed ahead of the storm’s arrival. If you need to visit us, please reach out to your <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.t-mobile.com%2Fstore-locator&data=02%7C01%7CJanielle.GoGuasch%40T-Mobile.com%7C06182c2793414ec7d15708d86c8df772%7Cbe0f980bdd994b19bd7bbc71a09b026c%7C0%7C0%7C637378704358553281&sdata=%2B%2B8oLUFm7daxNyuyTdyY%2B1QRRPubNCR18gjj9K0VlCY%3D&reserved=0">local store</a> to confirm they are open. You can also call 611 or 1-800-937-8997 from your handset if you need assistance or have questions about your account or service and we will be happy to help.

Help people affected by Hurricane Delta. Text Delta to 90999 to donate $10 to the American Red Cross to help those most affected by Hurricane Laura. Your donation enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster. This includes providing food, shelter, relief supplies, emotional support and other assistance. Text messaging charges may apply, and the one-time donation will show up on their next T-Mobile bill. For more information, please visit: <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.t-mobile.com%2Fcustomers%2Ftext-to-give&data=02%7C01%7CJanielle.GoGuasch%40T-Mobile.com%7C06182c2793414ec7d15708d86c8df772%7Cbe0f980bdd994b19bd7bbc71a09b026c%7C0%7C0%7C637378704358553281&sdata=33WR5xSf0sDnygXNyRo4wclwb5LqJ%2FDUcBSUnv01KVY%3D&reserved=0">https://www.t-mobile.com/customers/text-to-give</a>

See T-Mobile.com for plan information, Terms & Conditions, and other policies.

Customer & Community Support T-Mobile is waiving overage charges for talk, text and data for T-Mobile, Sprint and Metro by T-Mobile customers in selected areas of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi who are not already on unlimited plans. From 10/9 through 10/15, we are providing unlimited talk, text and data for customers in the following locations:

Louisiana Parishes: Acadia, Allen, Avoyelles, Buearegard, Calcasieu, Cameron, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, St. Helena, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, Terrebone, Vermillion, Vernon, West Baton Rouge, West Feliciana

Texas Counties: Angelina, Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, San Augustine, Shelby, Tyler

Mississippi Counties: Adams, Amite, Franklin, Lincoln, Wilkinson

Network Our local teams are working hard to prepare our networks along Delta’s projected path to minimize any network impacts. We’ve staged a number of temporary solutions for quick deployment where needed in the aftermath of the storm. This includes additional generators, a fleet of temporary network solutions such as Cells on Wheels (COWs), Cells on Light Trucks (COLTs) satellite infrastructure, small cells, Mobile Command Trailers

As the storm approaches and makes landfall, it’s possible that customers in coastal Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes may experience short-term impacts to their coverage. If your mobile service is interrupted or spotty, we recommend customers try the following:

More information on how T-Mobile prepares for storms like Hurricane Delta, is available in the <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.t-mobile.com%2Fnews%2Fcommunity%2Fpreparing-for-the-2020-hurricane-season&data=02%7C01%7CJanielle.GoGuasch%40T-Mobile.com%7Ce60e0ac9e0fb47d3bbb708d86bdbe334%7Cbe0f980bdd994b19bd7bbc71a09b026c%7C0%7C0%7C637377939447993680&sdata=aBN21q8Yqa8%2FFfbvrYRmaQLSc3B%2FWZLyFnAi3SbjwSY%3D&reserved=0">T-Mobile Newsroom</a>.

For the local updates and preparation tips for Hurricane Delta, check out these site:

As Hurricane Delta moves through the Gulf of Mexico towards the US Gulf Coast, T-Mobile has begun to mobilize our emergency response teams to assist our customers during and after the storm. If necessary, we are prepared to deploy additional personnel and network support equipment to minimize any potential service interruptions and aide any impacted communities.

Part of our preparations may include closing some stores on Thursday, depending on the projected tracks of the storm. If you need to visit one of our locations, please reach out to your <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.t-mobile.com%2Fstore-locator&data=02%7C01%7CJanielle.GoGuasch%40T-Mobile.com%7C536c4cc895e24f45c8b808d86b004e7a%7Cbe0f980bdd994b19bd7bbc71a09b026c%7C0%7C0%7C637376996341677169&sdata=hxiuVe8d%2B0%2FqdK1lCkmHDiCv4edYOb1LJIqAZb8HJNg%3D&reserved=0">local store</a> to confirm their status.

We know how staying connected is key in times like these. As a reminder, the majority of T-Mobile and Sprint customers are on plans offering unlimited talk, text and data.

If you are in an area that could potentially be impacted, we encourage you to follow any evacuation orders that may be issued by local authorities and hope that you stay safe over the coming days. In the meantime, we recommend customers, particularly along the Gulf Coast, take the following steps to prepare themselves for potential effects of the storm.

More information on how T-Mobile prepares for storms like Hurricane Delta, is available in the <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/news/community/preparing-for-the-2020-hurricane-season">T-Mobile Newsroom</a>.

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As Hurricane Delta moves through the Gulf of Mexico towards the US Gulf Coast, T-Mobile has begun to mobilize our emergency response teams to assist our customers during and after the storm.

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