Wireless Carrier Reports Little Impact From Storm; Only Handful of Cell Sites on Back up Power
Ridgeland, Miss., (August 29, 2012) – C Spire Wireless has experienced virtually no network impact from slow moving Hurricane Isaac, which continues to lash the Mississippi Gulf Coast and south Alabama today with tropical storm-force winds, torrential rain and tide-aided storm surge.
Company officials reported this morning that call volumes and data traffic are higher than normal, but the network continues to perform well with over 99 percent of its cell sites operating with no power or service problems. A handful of cell sites are on back up batteries or emergency generators due to loss of commercial power.
“We’re continuing to closely track Isaac throughout the day, but we’ve spent a lot of time and effort preparing our network, facilities and employees to handle any challenges presented by this storm,” said Eric Hollingsworth, vice president of Network Operations for C Spire Wireless. “Our preparations are designed to give customers the maximum reliability from their wireless devices at the time of greatest need.”
Ironically, the storm made landfall in southeast Louisiana last night and again early this morning on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the costliest natural disaster in the nation’s history. Katrina, a Category 3 hurricane, destroyed huge swaths of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, killed 1,500 people and caused $80 billion in damage.
Hollingsworth said the C Spire cell sites on generators and back up batteries are still in service. A few other cell sites in south Mississippi and along the Gulf Coast are off the air due to power and facilities issues, but not affecting service because of overlapping coverage.
Retail operations are gradually returning to normal as storm conditions dissipate along the Mississippi Gulf Coast and in south Alabama today, according to Brian Caraway, senior vice president of Sales and Marketing. The company’s six Alabama stores in Mobile and Baldwin counties are reopening with normal business hours today. Retail locations in Wiggins and Lucedale plan to open at 10:30 a.m. and the store in Picayune will open at 11 a.m. All of the company’s six locations on the Mississippi Gulf Coast are closed awaiting updates on local curfews, Caraway said.
“Once we ensured our employees’ personal safety, we kept our retail stores open as a public service as long as possible yesterday in areas affected by the storm,” Caraway said, adding that the company helped more than 500 customers, many of whom made last-minute purchases of spare phone batteries and car chargers in anticipation of the storm.
For continuing updates on the C Spire network and retail hours of operation, dial #STORM (78676) from a mobile phone or call toll-free 1.888.276.8845. C Spire has activated its mobile website with storm-related information for customers at ww.cspire.com/hurricane. Customers can use Text CS (#611) on their mobile phone for customer support issues. Network updates and other news also is available via social links by following C Spire on Facebook and Twitter.
About C Spire Wireless
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 or Twitter at www.twitter.com/cspire or Google + or www.pinterest.com/cspirewireless
processing your request...