T-Mobile’s Network and Teams Ready for Hurricane Francine

Update: September 12, 2024

Community Support

Our teams are deployed at the following T-Mobile stores and will be there until 6:30pm CST today, and from 10:00am-2:00pm CST tomorrow providing Wi-Fi, power and device charging for anyone who needs it. These locations and/or times may change as needs change:

• T-Mobile Store: Southland Mall, 5953 W Park Ave, Ste 1029, Houma, LA 70364
• T-Mobile Store: 216 N Airline Hwy, Gonzales, LA 70737

September 11, 2024

Ahead of Hurricane Francine making landfall in Louisiana later today, 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:

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:

• T-Mobile’s Mobile Emergency Operations Center (EOC): Large RV with network management and monitoring equipment
• 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
• 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
• Microwave solutions: Network technology that offers high throughput and low latency for better data usage
• Portable Generators: Portable power solutions that can be quickly set up to power sites and help customers
• 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.

Agencies needing communications assistance can reach out to our 24-hour emergency hotline at 888-639-0020 or email at [email protected].

Community Support

Our Community Support Team is staged and ready to assist impacted customers and communities following the storm with Wi-Fi, device charging and charging supplies. Specific equipment prepared to support includes Community Support trucks and trailers that provide Wi-Fi and up to 80 charging ports each, along with charging supplies such as battery chargers and cables. This assistance is open to anyone who needs it.

Customer Concessions

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 from today, September 11, through Tuesday, September 17 in the following parishes and counties:

• Louisiana: Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, Catahoula, Concordia, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Iberia, Iberville, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, La Salle, Lafayette, Lafourche, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Richland, Saint Bernard, Saint Charles, Saint Helena, Saint James, Saint Landry, Saint Martin, Saint Mary, Saint Tammany, St. John the Baptist, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Terrebonne, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Washington, West Baton Rouge, West Carroll, West Feliciana and Winn
• Mississippi: Adams, Amite, Claiborne, Copiah, Covington, Forrest, Franklin, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Issaquena, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lafayette, Lamar, Lawrence, Lincoln, Madison, Marion, Newton, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Rankin, Scott, Sharkey, Simpson, Smith, Stone, Walthall, Warren, Wilkinson and Yazoo
• Texas: Jefferson and Orange

Employees and Retail Stores

We are monitoring potential impacts on our employees, retail stores and other locations. For updates on local store operations, please use our store locator to check your nearest store, as some locations may be temporarily closed or operating under modified hours in the coming days.