T-Mobile Responding to Hurricane Milton
Updated: 10/13
Update: October 13, 2024
Network and First Responders Update
Our teams continue to work to restore coverage and now fewer than 2% of our customers across Florida are without consistent connectivity. Over the past several days we have made almost 900 site assessments, deployed and/or refueled over 600 generators, and activated SatCOLTs (Satellite Cell on Light Truck) in Venice and at the Walmart in Zephyrhills to support the local police department and provide connectivity for the local community.
Our teams are focused on impacted sites in Pinellas, Hillsborough and Volusia counties, and are evaluating VSAT and Microwave solutions for sites that may take longer to bring back up due to extensive damage to fiber.
Our T-Mobile for Business and Government team continues to coordinate with federal, state and local agencies and officials at the Florida State Emergency Operations Center, particularly to identify priorities and support needs in Hillsborough, Lee, Sarasota and other counties.
PM Update: October 11, 2024
Network and First Responders Update
Today our teams completed more than 180 new site assessments and continued deploying and refueling generators in areas impacted by commercial power outages. In just the last 24 hours, nearly half of all impacted sites have been restored and our crews continue to work diligently, where conditions allow, to make repairs.
In addition to recovering critical connectivity for impacted customers and communities, this network restoration is crucial to first responder and government agencies who are working around the clock to support their communities. Our T-Mobile for Business and Government team is stationed in the Florida State Emergency Operations Center and actively supporting and coordinating efforts to provide connectivity to first responders, public safety and relief organizations at federal, state and local levels. This includes deploying connectivity solutions like SatCOLTs to emergency vehicle staging locations, delivering hotspots and activated SIM cards to areas where coverage may not be available from other providers and assessing other real-time and urgent needs.
We also continue to temporarily provide Starlink satellite to cell service as an additional best effort as restoration is ongoing — even as our full direct to cell service is still in development. The service has been temporarily available in states in the path of both Helene and Milton, including North Carolina and Florida and parts of other nearby states. In Florida over the past approximately 48 hours, the service has been used to broadcast over 120 Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) from public safety agencies — hurricane warnings, evacuation notices, flood warnings — both in advance of Milton and when it made landfall. It has also enabled over 100K SMS messages to be sent and received.
AM Update: October 11, 2024
Network Update
Currently fewer than 3% of our customers in our Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville and Miami markets are without consistent connectivity but we are steadily making progress to restore as much of that as possible today. Despite challenging conditions in some areas our crews are out in the field focusing on assessing sites, repairing damage and deploying portable generators in Miami as well as Desoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Manatee and Pinellas counties. We also deployed a SatCOLT (Satellite Cell on Light Truck) to Venice. We expect Miami and Fort Myers and surrounding areas to be nearly or fully restored later today.
Commercial power recovery is also helping to bring many sites back online. Where there are ongoing power outages, our teams are working to refuel up to 500 generators to keep them operational.
Community Support Update
T-Mobile teams are offering charging, charging supplies and Wi-Fi connectivity at shelters and other locations in impacted counties. Today, our teams visited the following locations:
- McKeel Academy of Technology at 1810 W. Parker St., Lakeland, FL 33815
- Buffalo Creek Middle School at 7320 69th St. East, Palmetto, FL 34221
- Oak Grove Middle School at 1370 S. Belcher Rd, Clearwater, FL 33764
Additional Information
Some stores in impacted areas are beginning to reopen but may operate under modified hours based on conditions. For ongoing updates on your nearest store, please use our store locator.
October 10, 2024
Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida overnight and today T-Mobile teams are focused on mobilizing as quickly as possible to support recovery.
Network Update
The significant work we did to prepare our network in advance of the storm helped put us in the best possible position today. Our network held up well for the most part but with this level of storm there are sites down in several areas including Tampa, Jacksonville, Miami and Orlando, among others. This may be impacting service for customers in those areas.
We are focused on recovery as quickly as possible. Our crews will be out assessing sites and beginning necessary repairs where they are able to do so. As they will be navigating conditions that are incredibly difficult — downed power lines and trees, flooding and other hazards — they will be proceeding with safety as the priority.
In addition to damage caused by the storm, power outages are also creating challenges for our network sites. We currently have around 400 fixed generators running across impacted areas and will deploy portable generators when we can. We are also preparing to roll out COWs and COLTs as needed.
Concessions Update
While the majority of our customers are on plans with unlimited talk, text and data, for those who aren’t we are offering unlimited talk, text and data for T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile and Assurance Wireless customers beginning yesterday, October 9, through Monday, November 11 in the following counties: Brevard, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Desoto, Flagler, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Okeechobee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Saint Lucie, Sarasota and Volusia.
Additional Information
Our community support teams are beginning to activate in Gainesville with Wi-Fi trucks and trailers packed with supplies like batteries and charging cables. They are supporting local temporary shelters and are deploying to other areas as needed.
Our stores and Customer Experience Centers in impacted areas will remain closed. Stores in Miami Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties have been re-opened. For ongoing updates on local store operations, please use our store locator.
We also continue to ensure we are best supporting our employees who have been impacted.
For more information on T-Mobile’s emergency response efforts and for tips to stay connected visit: https://www.t-mobile.com/news/emergency-response. Follow @TMobileNews on X, formerly known as Twitter, to stay up to date with the latest company news.
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