T-Mobile’s Network and Teams Ready for Hurricane Francine
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / September 12, 2024 / T-MobileAhead of Hurricane Francine making landfall in Louisiana, T-Mobile has activated its emergency plans to help keep customers, communities, first responders and others connected through …
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / September 12, 2024 / T-Mobile
Ahead of Hurricane Francine making landfall in Louisiana, T-Mobile has activated its emergency plans to help keep customers, communities, first responders and others connected through expected heavy rains, flooding and hurricane-force winds. Here's how we're working to support the communities we serve and the network they rely on:
Network Preparation
Our Emergency Management team, local market teams and National Operations Centers, are vigilantly monitoring the storm and our network's performance. T-Mobile's teams have also pre-staged equipment at critical and strategic locations for rapid deployment after the storm and taken steps to ensure that permanent backup power resources are ready, including:
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T-Mobile's Mobile Emergency Operations Center (EOC): Large RV with network management and monitoring equipment
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SatCOLTs and SatCOWs: Satellite cell-on-light-trucks and satellite cell-on-wheels that teams can drive to impacted areas to temporarily restore or boost service
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Quick-deploy and portable VSATs: Satellite dishes called "Very Small Aperture Terminals" that can provide a layer of coverage across broad areas and quickly provide temporary wireless service to send and receive data from T-Mobile's network
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Microwave solutions: Network technology that offers high throughput and low latency for better data usage
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Portable Generators: Portable power solutions that can be quickly set up to power sites and help customers
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Permanent Batteries and Generators: Generators and batteries permanently installed on key sites - such as cell sites, data centers and switching centers - along Francine's predicted path and surrounding areas have been topped up
In addition, T-Mobile's network modernization allows local network teams to quickly and digitally optimize the network to a critical location when increased signal concentration is needed. By redirecting antennas and towers, T-Mobile can enhance connectivity for rescue operations, Incident Command Centers, hospitals, shelters, reunification centers or other crucial efforts and locations.
Public Safety and First Responders
T-Mobile for Government and our Emergency Response Team are engaged with numerous federal, state and local officials and emergency management agencies from Texas to Alabama including: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) and the Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP), as well as others including the Texas Department of Emergency Management (TDEM), City of Houston Office of Emergency Management (OEM), Harris County Office of Emergency Management, Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) and others.