Free calls for Japan and free texting for texting from AT&T will be arriving until the next month. This good will gesture is also matched by Sprint, but not by T-Mobile. Read more on this information here in this quick article.
The terrible events of the earthquakes and devastating tsunami on the nation of Japan have caused some to bring out their services to help the Japanese. The country is fighting to get control over the normal day to day life again. The radioactive winds from the exploded nuclear reactors are a major threat to health. The normal communications networks are not working, thanks to being jammed by so many calls. One of the cell carriers of Japan, DoMoCo, is restricting up to eighty percent of voice calling. Why is a mystery.
The people of Japan were partially prepared for this week’s predicament by the same company that restricts their networks today; Docomo. Docomo has a special text message system set up that immediately notifies people of impending disaster, such as the earthquake this past week. It is called SMS-CB. Millions were warned by their cell phone’s vibration of the earthquake, resulting in many being prepared for the event.
AT&T has started their free service from the United States and Puerto Rico. The free calls will last from March 11 to March 31, twenty days. This very temporary offer is for wired and wireless connections. The wired customers will only be approved for a credit of up to 60 minutes of dialing direct to Japan. Some are calling this a “publicity grab”, but nevertheless, it is a small help in a dire time of need.
Verizon is also on the ticket to help the Japanese people. They are offering a slightly different plan to what AT&T is offering. Postpaid customers with wired and wireless connections will get free calling to Japan. Not all customers will have this service, though. It is not clear who will and who will not. Prepaid customers will also have their bill waived for calls to Japan. The free calling will end on April 10.
Where is T-Mobile in this event ? They have a program in place for free texts to certain short codes, but not free calling and no regular free texting. What T-Mobile has is the ability to donate ten dollars by texting to the Red Cross, Salvation Army and other approved emergency relief organizations. That is the extent of their help to the Japanese at this time, perhaps they will have a change of heart. They are the only large cell carrier to not provide free calling or text messages to Japan.
Sprint is more in line with what AT&T and Verizon are doing. They have free calling and free texting to Japan. They also are going to have their offer last until April 10. The offer is good for those who are post paid, not prepaid customers. One more company, Comcast, is one of the smaller companies that is also on the map for providing free calling to troubled Japan. They will give free calling to Business Class customers and to Xfinity Voice customers.
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