now happening at c spire

Wireless Provider Suggests Key Readiness Steps and Offers Mobile Phone Tips For Emergencies

Ridgeland, Miss., (August 25, 2012) – With Mississippi and Alabama Gulf Coast residents bracing for a possible onslaught by Tropical Storm Isaac next week, C Spire Wireless is offering consumers in storm-prone areas some important planning and emergency communications reminders to use before, during and after any storm or natural disaster.

"We were fortunate last year as major hurricanes, for the most part, missed the U.S. mainland," said Eric Hollingsworth, vice president of Network Operations for C Spire Wireless. "With nearly 37 million people living in hurricane-prone coastal areas, though, we can’t afford to let our guard down. Now is the time for individuals, families and businesses to prepare emergency plans, create emergency supply kits and learn evacuation routes."

In conjunction with local, state and federal emergency response agencies, C Spire is offering consumers and businesses the following tips and advice to use during this time:

• Charge your primary wireless phone battery and secure back-up batteries and a vehicle charger in a dry, accessible location. Use waterproof accessories or simple zip-lock storage bags to protect devices.
• Take photographs and videos of all your important possessions with the camera and video recorder on your wireless device and send them to your email address. If a hurricane damages your home or property, these items will help you file your wind insurance claim.
• Consider storing important documents and personal items in a storage facility away from the threat of any major storm, wind or water damage. Take photographs for your records and store on your wireless phone.
• Designate an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as your family contact person and make sure everyone in your family knows the contact person’s name, address and phone number. Text or e-mail the contact information with your mobile phone.
• Maintain a list of emergency phone numbers for police, fire, rescue agencies, power companies, insurance providers and family, friends and co-workers and program them into your mobile phone address book.
• Give your emergency contact information to those who may need it, including neighbors, family and friends.
• Track wind and storm surge information through the mobile web on your wireless phone.
• Download from a wide variety of free weather and safety-related applications like The Weather Channel, FEMA, the American Red Cross and Ping4 for smartphones, tablets and other devices.
• Set up your office email and log in on your mobile phone to stay connected with co-workers and to receive updates on emergency office closures and work schedules.

• Place voice calls only when necessary. Limit your personal calls so that capacity is available for 9-1-1 calls and other emergency responders.
• When possible, send text messages instead of placing voice calls. Text messages require less network capacity and are more likely than voice calls to reach their destination during periods of network congestion.
• If you’re a C Spire Wireless customer, use Text CS from your mobile phone for any customer support issues. This helps reduce potential wireless network congestion and ensures that you get prompt assistance.
• Set up social media and email accounts on your mobile phone to stay connected with friends and family with status and location updates. C Spire customers also can get updates on the network and other news via social links by following the company on Facebook and Twitter.
• Charge your mobile phone in your car during commercial power outages. If a car charger is unavailable, buy an AC adapter for your vehicle so you can use your wall charger.
• Turn off your Bluetooth, data connections, such as auto sync for PDA and smartphone users, turn backlight down to the minimum levels to conserve battery life. When the battery is extremely low, turn phone off unless in use.
• Use the camera on your wireless device to document damage to your personal property, home or business and use picture and video messaging to send them to insurance agents or other contacts.

"The bottom line is preparation," Hollingsworth added. "While weather forecasters continue to improve the accuracy of their hurricane forecasts, individuals, businesses and communities need to work together to develop and implement comprehensive plans to effectively prepare for, respond to and recover from severe weather events like hurricanes."

C Spire Wireless is a diversified wireless communications company passionately committed to helping customers by personalizing wireless services designed just for them. The company is the first wireless provider in the U.S. to personalize customers’ experience by offering apps that fit who they are, services that anticipate their needs, and rewards for using their phone in new ways – all with seamless ease and at amazingly fast speeds. This news release and other announcements are available at www.cspire.com/news For more information about C Spire Wireless and its products and services, visit www.cspire.com or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cspire, Twitter at www.twitter.com/cspireor Google+