T-Mobile Readies to Keep Customers, Communities and First Responders Connected as Hurricane Milton Approaches Landfall By Investing.com

By Investor Empires On Oct 9, 2024

BELLEVUE, Wash.–( BUSINESS WIRE )– T-Mobile (NASDAQ: US™) has activated its emergency operations and preparedness plan as Hurricane Milton approaches Florida, mobilizing emergency teams. Affiliates to help keep customers, communities, first responders and others connected. In summary:

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T-Mobile’s network has been strengthened to withstand extreme weather conditions expected along Milton’s projected route and the company’s experienced emergency response teams are preparing portable generators and heavy network equipment to provide support when and where needed.
T-Mobile’s Emergency Response Team is actively working with federal and state public safety agencies as well as the Florida State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Tallahassee to identify early priority needs immediately following the storm.
To keep employees safe, T-Mobile has temporarily closed stores, the Customer Experience Center and the T-Mobile Virtual Business Center, all located on Milton Lane. Customer calls will be redirected to other locations. The company’s community support team stands ready to deploy relief supplies as conditions permit.
T-Mobile and Starlink requested and received a second Special Temporary Authority (STA) from the FCC to operate T-Mobile Starlink Direct-to-Cellular service on the expected path of Hurricane Milton. Wireless and SMS emergency alerts, including the ability to text 911, are now enabled in Florida as well as areas previously impacted by Hurricane Helen.
T-Mobile is also prepared to support cross-carrier roaming requests from other wireless providers as needed.

Network modernization, technology and hardening

T-Mobile continues to make investments in its nationwide network to prepare for the unpredictable and challenging nature of severe weather. This includes leveraging the capabilities of artificial intelligence and data to help support real-time response and faster recovery. T-Mobile’s experienced team with deep knowledge of the challenges associated with large storms like Milton is ready in Florida and knows what it takes to quickly restore network impacts. The team has taken steps to strengthen its network, using comprehensive analysis of historical data, customer density and meteorologists to proactively strengthen the network infrastructure to help minimize outages. This includes adding overlapping coverage, installing backup power supplies for towers and core grid sites, building redundant backhaul paths for cell sites and the core grid, and performing ongoing inspection and maintenance of all facilities.

T-Mobile’s network modernization uses innovative technologies aimed at improving resiliency, including:

Cognitive self-organizing network (SON): An intelligent network that automatically assesses, manages and improves performance during disasters, redistributes resources across the network and addresses coverage gaps by adjusting nearby towers.
Improved automatic 24/7 coverage: Continuously reconfigure antenna patterns to improve signal and expand coverage area during outages “Occurred over 100,000 miles during Hurricane Helen.
Tilt directional digital antenna: It allows engineers to remotely adjust coverage and boost the signal for vital areas such as rescue operations, incident command centers, shelters, reunification centers and hospitals.
Automatic changes of parameters: Artificial intelligence has made it possible to monitor network performance in real time to adjust site parameters to avoid congestion and increase data and connection performance.
Spectrum layer management: Automatically optimize power level on the multi-band 5G network during commercial power outages to extend the runtime of backup generators and batteries.
Network hardening: Proactively hardens network infrastructure to minimize outages using comprehensive analysis of historical data, customer density, and meteorologists. This includes adding overlapping coverage, installing backup power supplies for towers and prime network sites, building redundant fiber, satellite or microwave backhaul paths, and performing ongoing inspection and maintenance of all facilities.

This multi-faceted approach helped keep the vast majority of customers connected in the midst of Hurricane Helen recovery: Nearly 10% of T-Mobile customers in the path experienced a loss of coverage in the first 24 hours after the storm even though 30% of T-Mobile customers in the path experienced a loss of coverage in the first 24 hours after the storm. Mobile Mobile network sites were affected. Within 72 hours, less than 1% of customers remained affected, mainly due to power outages and other difficult and unsafe conditions.

Equipment is ready for deployment

T-Mobile’s emergency management team, local teams and national operations centers are working together to monitor the network around the clock. Local network and market teams and field technicians use knowledge of the area to provide a critical understanding of the potential impact and implement mitigation strategies in real time. Teams are also pre-positioning a fleet of equipment and relief supplies at our emergency response facilities in Live Oak, FL, and Plant City, FL along with the Everglades Mobile Switching Office in Sunrise, FL for rapid deployment and activation when conditions safely allow. It will provide critical network connectivity, power, and Wi-Fi to first responders, disaster organizations, and communities in locations such as fire and police departments, incident command centers, shelter reconsolidation centers, hospitals, local government facilities, stores providing community support, and much more.

T-Mobile fleet includes:

Mobile Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs): Large recreational vehicles equipped with network management and monitoring equipment
SatCOLTs and SatCOWs: Satellite light cell trucks and mobile satellite cells on wheels that teams can drive to affected areas to restore or temporarily enhance service.
Wi-Fi vehicles and heavy freight vehicles: A fleet of towable trucks and trailers are equipped with 80 charging ports that can be quickly deployed to provide Wi-Fi service and device charging to anyone who needs it, even if they’re not a T-Mobile customer.
Rapid-deployable and portable VSAT stations: Satellite dishes are called very small aperture stations that can provide a layer of coverage across wide areas and quickly provide temporary wireless service for sending and receiving data from the T-Mobile network.
Microwave solutions: Network technology that provides high throughput and low latency for better data utilization.
Portable Generators: Portable power solutions that can be quickly set up to power sites and assist customers.
Search and rescue and heavy dronesSearch and Rescue (SAR) drones are equipped with infrared and thermal imaging cameras used to find people and objects. Heavy lift aircraft can fly up to an hour, cover up to 60 miles and carry up to 50 pounds to provide photography, deliver supplies or illuminate an operation.

Late last week, the teams at T-Mobile and Starlink requested a Special Temporary Authority (STA) from the FCC to operate our T-Mobile Starlink Direct-to-Cellular service in parts of North Carolina affected by Hurricane Helen. . T-Mobile and Starlink again requested and received a STA from the FCC to do the same for areas affected by Hurricane Milton in Florida. In these areas, Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) are turned on and teams have enabled basic text messaging (SMS), including the ability to send a text message to 911. Although SpaceX’s direct cell communication constellation has not yet been fully deployed, This early beta can provide vital support as teams work to bring infrastructure and services back online and assist first responders in rescue efforts.

T-Mobile is also prepared to support cross-carrier roaming requests from other wireless providers as part of the FCC’s Mandatory Disaster Response Initiative to help ensure roaming availability in emergency situations.

Public safety and first responders

T-Mobile for Government is coordinating with federal, state and local authorities including first responder agencies and the Florida State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Tallahassee to identify high-impact priorities to restore coverage. The team is already preparing to deploy to support requests from first responders for additional network coverage and capacity as soon as conditions safely allow.

First responders, emergency officials and other eligible critical infrastructure customers can enroll in Wireless Priority Service (WPS) to get priority access and protection on the T-Mobile network at no cost. When seconds matter during times of emergency or network congestion, WPS moves critical communications to the front of the line. Agencies needing communications assistance can also contact T-Mobile’s 24-hour emergency hotline at 888-639-0020 or email ERTRequests@T-Mobile.com.

Employees, retail stores and community support

T-Mobile has reached out to all potentially affected employees and will continue to support them as needed. With their safety in mind, the company has decided to temporarily close all retail stores located within Milton’s expected impact area, as well as the Customer Experience Center and the T-Mobile Virtual Business Center. Customer contacts will be redirected to other sites. Future updates about local store operations and hours will be available in the Company’s store locator. When it is safe to deploy, T-Mobile teams will transport relief support trucks filled with charging supplies, including cables and battery packs, to communities where they are needed most. Locations may change daily and are posted at https://www.t-mobile.com/news/emergency-response.

More information

For more information about T-Mobile’s emergency response efforts and for tips for staying connected, visit: https://www.t-mobile.com/news/emergency-response. Follow @™obileNews on X, formerly known as Twitter, to stay up to date on the latest company news.

About T-Mobile

T-Mobile US (NASDAQ:), Inc. (NASDAQ:US™) is America’s supercharged carrier, providing an advanced 4G LTE network and a transformative nationwide 5G network that will provide reliable connectivity for everyone. T-Mobile customers benefit from its unparalleled combination of value and quality, an unwavering obsession with providing them with the best possible service experience, and an unquestionable drive for disruption that creates competition and innovation in wireless and beyond. Headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, T-Mobile provides services through its subsidiaries and operates its flagship brands, T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile and Mint Mobile. For more information please visit: https://www.t-mobile.com

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