[Skip to content](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/community/preparing-for-the-2020-hurricane-season#maincontent) [Newsroom](https://www.t-mobile.com/news)Toggle secondary navigation - [Network](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/category/network) - [Devices](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/category/devices) - [Un-carrier](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/category/un-carrier) - [Community](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/category/community) - [Offers](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/category/offers) - [Business](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/category/business) English [CommunityCategory](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/category/community)[Press Release](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/press) # Preparing for the 2020 Hurricane Season May 18, 2020  6 min read - Facebook IconShare on Facebook - Share on Twitter - LinkedIn IconShare on LinkedIn __As the 2020 hurricane season approaches, T‑Mobile is more ready than ever to keep our customers connected.__ Hurricane season is nearly here — officially running from June 1 through November 30 – and we know we must be ready to navigate the impacts of the season. We hope that this year our communities will be spared from the devastation of recent years’ storms, but we can’t predict what lies ahead so preparation is always critically important. And currently, as people adjust to life during the COVID-19 pandemic, we know that this year’s hurricane season may be unique as T‑Mobile and Sprint customers will rely on our teams and networks to maintain the important connectivity that is helping them work, learn and continue to communicate with loved ones during the various stages of the current shutdown. As we do each year, we continue to work with internal and external partners, including the National Weather Service to monitor all potential storm activity and prepare our response plans. In the meantime, we’ve taken important steps over the past several months to prepare to respond to hurricane impacts, including making considerable investments in network hardening and expanding our response fleets and relief teams. So, we are better positioned than ever before, with our combined T‑Mobile and Sprint resources, to quickly respond and support our customers in communities that are most affected by hurricanes. __Prepared__ We take our natural disaster preparation very seriously and there are a number of tried and tested strategies that T‑Mobile uses to make sure we are ready for any situation: - __Backup Generators__ are located at all of our T‑Mobile and Sprint Wireless and Wireline Switch, Point of Presence (POP) and fiber regeneration site locations. This enables these __sites to run for multiple days__ when power disruptions occur. - __Investing__ in operational readiness by __adding thousands of new backup generators__ at our sites in hurricane prone areas making investments and __improvements to backhaul systems__ as well as more __advanced relief and recovery tools__. - __Testing__ our __T‑Mobile and Sprint networks’ backup and response systems__ including improving our plans that allow us to quickly coordinate and mobilize to support our customers and their communities. In addition, we maintain and test all our backup generators on a regular basis. - __Practicing__ our response plans with __hurricane preparedness exercises__ alongside other industry emergency management personnel that focus on the unique challenges each region may face during a disaster event and improve coordination and collaboration with state and local government agencies across in disaster prone areas. - __Monitoring__ our network traffic demands and weather impacts via our 24/7 __Network Operations Centers (NOCs).__ This year, due to COVID-19 we have 100% of our NOC teams working from home and these technicians and engineers haven’t missed a beat in keeping our customers connected. __Ready to Respond__ This year, following our merger with Sprint, we have further increased our Network emergency response capabilities and now have more resources ready to quickly support hurricane-prone communities after storms. - __Increased__ the size of our __fleet of rapid response vehicles__. We have doubled the size and capabilities of our emergency management fleet of satellite enabled vehicles, including mobile command centers, Cells on Wheels (COWs) and Cells on Light Trucks (COLTs). These vehicles can drive to impacted areas and help restore connectivity. We have also significantly increased the number of portable generators that can quickly restore power to our tower locations where permanent generators are not possible. - __Expert trained technicians, engineers and community relief teams and trucks__ are proactively deployed to ensure the right people are where they are most needed upon hurricane impact and that hard hit communities not only have minimized service disruptions but also know T‑Mobile is there to support them with charging stations and much-needed personal supplies. __Managing Service Interruptions__ Even with the measures we take to prepare our networks and with our increased capacity and ability to swiftly take action, there is still the potential for power outages and other communication service interruptions. If your mobile service is interrupted or spotty immediately following a hurricane, we recommend customers try the following: - __If you have home broadband and power but no mobile service__, try Wi-Fi calling, which allows T‑Mobile and Sprint customers with capable devices to text and make and receive voice calls via any capable Wi-Fi connection. IMPORTANT: If you have to call 911 using Wi-Fi, be sure to give your address to the operator. - __If you have a connection to the T‑Mobile and Sprint networks__, keep calls to a minimum and as short as possible. This helps reduce the load on our network so others can get through. - __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. - __Send a text__ instead of making a call. Text messages get through easier during times of congestion. __How Customers Can Prepare__ There are a range of useful steps customers can take to prepare ahead of a storm and help themselves stay connected. We recommend the following: - Make a [disaster kit](https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies.html)! Include things like batteries, snacks, water, first aid kit, flashlight and device chargers. - Update your family, friends and emergency services contact numbers. Make sure they’re saved and backed up or written down someplace accessible. - If you’re planning to evacuate, let your family and friends know your evacuation plan, where you’re going and how to reach you. - Subscribe to local authorities’ text alerts or connect with local authorities’ social networks to learn about new developments before, during and after a disaster. - Keep your mobile devices fully charged! Have charging cables handy and consider investing in a car or portable charging device. - Protect your technology with waterproof re-sealable plastic bags. - Download emergency-assistance apps from the Red Cross and FEMA. - Make sure your phone supports Wireless Emergency Alerts and that you have enabled notifications on your device. Visit www.t‑mobile.com/wea for details on how to set up alerts on T‑Mobile and Sprint devices. - Set up Wi-Fi Calling on your phone. For Apple phones, go to Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calling; and for Android phones, go to Settings > More Connection Settings > Wi-Fi Calling. __More Information__ There are many options for customers and the community to stay up to date on response and recovery efforts: - Check the [T‑Mobile Newsroom](https://newsroom.t-mobile.com/). - Follow us on Twitter at [@TMobile](https://twitter.com/TMobile) and [@Sprint](https://twitter.com/sprint). - Follow T‑Mobile President of Technology Neville Ray on [Twitter.](https://twitter.com/NevilleRay) - Call 611 from your T‑Mobile or Metro by T‑Mobile handset. - Sprint customers can call [888-211-4727](tel:8882114727) - Get the latest storm forecasts online from NOAA’s [National Weather Service](https://www.weather.gov/) and the [National Hurricane Center.](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/) - Read more about how T‑Mobile prepares for and responds to disaster events at the [T‑Mobile website.](https://www.t-mobile.com/content/t-mobile/corporate/responsibility/community/emergency.html) __\*Wi-Fi Calling:__ Capable phone and Wi-Fi connection required; may decrement plan minutes. Most devices will not transition between Wi-Fi and the wireless network. See your device’s User Manual and selected service for details.  -  -  -  -  -  -  Tags[Emergency Response](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/archive/emergency-response)[Network](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/archive/network)[Relief](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/archive/relief) ## Related Stories [More Stories](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/category/community) [ \ NetworkPress Release \ __As Tropical Storm Arthur Approaches the Gulf Coast, T‑Mobile is Ready__ \ June 17, 2026|2 min read](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/network/tropical-storm-arthur-gulf-coast-t-mobile-is-ready) [ \ CommunityPress Release \ __Severe Weather is Here: How T‑Mobile Is Helping People Stay Connected__ \ June 11, 2026|2 min read](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/community/severe-weather-is-here-how-t-mobile-is-helping-people-stay-connected) [ \ NetworkPress Release \ __T‑Mobile Introduces Dynamic CX, AI-Powered Technology Designed to Help Keep Customers Connected During Summer’s Biggest Live Events__ \ June 04, 2026|5 min read](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/network/t-mobile-introduces-dynamic-cx-ai-powered-technology-designed-to-help-keep-customers-connected-during-summers-biggest-live-events) [ \ CommunityPress Release \ __Before, During and After: How T‑Mobile Shows Up for First Responders and Communities Across America at Every Stage__ \ May 19, 2026|7 min read](https://www.t-mobile.com/news/community/how-t-mobile-shows-up-for-first-responders-across-america)