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AT&T announced that it would be waiving fees for excess data, text, and calls made by its customers as hurricane Ida makes landfall in the United States. The storm has been declared a category 4, so the Gulf Coast is bracing for its impact.
AT&T said that in an effort to aid customers in this time of calamity, it will not be charging them for the services. As confirmed to Fox Business, the telecom company will waive fees of customers in the affected areas. There will be no charge for any overages from Aug. 9 at 12:00 a.m. to Sept. 4 at 11:59 p.m.
The Dallas, Texas-headquartered telecom firm also used social media platforms to let customers know about its assistance. “We are assisting our wireless customers who may be impacted by Hurricane #Ida,” AT&T tweeted. “We're waiving overage charges for @ATT customers in 388 zip codes across Louisiana and Mississippi from August 29 through September 4.”
Hurricane Ida made its first landfall at Port Fourchon in Louisiana on Sunday, Aug. 29, and it was on the same day when Hurricane Katrina battered New Orleans, Louisiana, exactly 16 years ago. It was said that Ida is expected to run much of the same area that was severely damaged by Katrina in 2005.
The power in Louisiana was cut on Sunday, and more than 600,000 residents were affected. The state’s governor, John Bel Edwards, requested for a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration prior to Ida’s landfall with expected winds of 150 kph.
"Hurricane Ida is one of the strongest storms to ever hit Louisiana. It is our goal to assist our local agencies and the citizens of the state as quickly as possible," the governor said in a statement that was released on Sunday. "This major disaster declaration will help Louisiana better respond to this crisis and protect the health and safety of our people, and I hope the White House will act quickly so we can begin getting additional aid and assistance to our people."
Meanwhile, KLFY.com listed the zip codes that are covered in AT&T’s offer of free call, text, and data until Sept. 4. The areas are in Louisiana and Mississippi, and customers here will receive notifications about their credits and other information about the waived fees during the calamity.
