US mobile service providers including T-Mobile US Inc (NASDAQ:TMUS), Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) and AT&T Inc.(NYSE:T) have decided to provide free calls to Italy following the massive earthquake that hit the country.
The decision by the companies to waive the charges for calls made to the earthquake-torn country is expected to make it easier for Italians living in the US to check on their families and keep in touch during the aftermath of the crisis. It will also give the companies some good press going in to September.
Such waivers have become a common thing when disaster strikes. Earlier this year the same mobile service providers offered free calls to France following the terror attacks. The offer will run for the next few days though the offer from each company is slightly different based on the day the companies gave the offer and the day each of them plans to end the offer. AT&T’s offer is expected to end today on August 26 and the waiver also includes text messaging. T-Mobile also has a waiver but on calls only. Its offer will be terminated on August 28.
Verizon is giving free calls for mobile and landline and its offer will end on August 26. T-Mobile’s offer also includes free roaming to its customers who are in Italy so that they can call their families in the US to let them know that they are safe. Sprint Corp (NYSE:S) has not revealed any offer though it is highly likely that it will follow suit.
As indicated by the announced dates for the end of the offers, the mobile service providers only allow the free calls and messaging where applied to run for just a few days. Users who do not want to risk any charges can still make video calls using Skype or communicate via WhatsApp.