Verizon Wireless and AT&T, the nation's two largest wireless carriers, are waiving various cellphone fees for those hurt by Superstorm Sandy.
Verizon says that customers in parts of New Jersey and New York will not be billed usage charges for domestic voice and text message usage between Oct. 29, when Sandy Hit, and Nov. 16.
AT&T is waiving voice and text overage charges through the end of November for customers affected by Sandy.
"AT&T will also extend the late-payment window for wireless customers who are behind and waive late payment fees," an AT&T spokesman told NBC News.
AT&T's offer applies to customers in affected areas in New York, New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Connecticut, he said.
Verizon customers who are eligible for the assistance, which will be handled automatically, the carrier says, are in these areas:
New Jersey: Atlantic County, Bergen County, Burlington County, Camden County, Cape May County, Cumberland County, Essex County, Gloucester County, Hudson County, Hunterdon County, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Morris County, Ocean County, Passaic County, Salem County, Somerset County, Sussex County, Union County, and Warren County.
New York: Bronx County, Kings County, Nassau County, New York County, Putnam County, Queens County, Richmond County, Rockland County, Suffolk County, and Westchester County.
Customers won't "see an actual credit on the bill, but simply won’t see any usage charges for voice and text activity during that period," Verizon says on its Q-and-A page here.
AT&T and T-Mobile are continuing to let customers who live in Sandy's path use roaming on the other's carrier's network. AT&T and T-Mobile both use the same type of wireless standards, GSM and UMTS, for their networks. Verizon Wireless and Sprint use a different standard, one known as CDMA.
A spokeswoman for Sprint told NBC News Friday that the carrier's "current credits and waivers for customers impacted by Hurricane Sandy include late fees, overage charges, roaming and call forwarding fees, between Oct. 29 and Nov. 28, and a renewal extension for prepaid services."
The waiver applies to Sprint customers in "select counties" in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. To learn more, check here.
The carrier also says affected prepaid customers on Boost Mobile Monthly Unlimited, Virgin Mobile Beyond Talk and payLo by Virgin Mobile Unlimited Talk and Text plans "will receive extended service if they are at risk of not making their payment due date. Boost Mobile Pay As You Go and payLo customers will receive a $10 account credit."
With cellphone service nearly fully restored by the four major carriers, here are some non-service related steps carriers have taken:
- Verizon says it is matching customers' text-to-donate contributions to American Red Cross relief efforts up to $1 million.
- AT&T Thursday announced a $1 million contribution to a nonprofit organization founded by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie for relief efforts. AT&T Foundation has also given a $250,000 grant to the Red Cross' Disaster Relief fund, and $225,000 in grants to local non-profit groups in the Tri-State region.
- T-Mobile has pledged $100,000 to the Red Cross, and is matching up to another $100,000 for all new donations from its customers. T-Mobile customers have already contributed more than $100,000 via text donations to the Red Cross, the carrier said recently on its blog.
- The Sprint Foundation has donated $500,000 to Red Cross relief efforts, and will match all Red Cross donations made by Sprint "employees, retirees and members of the Sprint board of directors."
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