Communications companies continue to up the ante on help for Hurricane Harvey-related areas.
Verizon said late Tuesday (Aug. 29) that it was pledging $10 million to fund relief efforts through four non-profit organizations to meet short- and long-term needs.
Related: Verizon Offers Communications Help to Harvey-Affected Customers
In addition, the company is:
"Relieving postpaid customers of data, talk and text charges and giving prepaid customers an extra 3 GB to be used for data, talk and text from Aug. 26 through September 15. The September 15 date reflects a one-week extension to what was previously announced.
"Deploying mobile equipment including Cells on Wheels (COWs), and Cells on Light Trucks (COLTS) to supplement service in areas of South Texas that need extra network capacity. Verizon has staged additional equipment and is prepared for rapid deployment as needed in hard-hit areas. This initiative is part of a network investment of nearly $1 billion in 2016 in the state of Texas.
"Working closely with several federal and local government agencies to help support first responders on the ground with much needed communications services.
"Staffing shelters with Verizon employees in Houston, Dallas and San Antonio to assist first responders and displaced residents with mobile charging, internet access and other communications needs.
"Along with its subsidiary Oath, the company is providing financial support to residents of Houston and South Texas with dollar-for-dollar matches of employees’ contributions to select relief-focused organizations. Oath also will match consumers’ contributions to select relief-focused organizations when they donate after visiting one of Oath’s web properties. More information can be found at https://yahoo.benevity.org/community.
"Offering emergency financial assistance to employees who have been affected by this tragedy though both its employee assistance program and its VtoV program where employees can donate funds to help fellow employees affected by a natural or personal disaster. In addition, to reinforce our long- term commitment to the communities we serve, Verizon will be offering it’s more than 10,000 employees who work in the states of Texas and Louisiana the opportunity to volunteer for the Harvey recovery effort over the coming months and receive up to a weeks vacation for their time."
Other cable and telecom companies assisting with relief efforts via services and donations include Altice USA, Comcast-NBCU, AT&T and T-Mobile.
