Handling 7 Million Minutes Daily in Areas Hardest Hit, Represents 50% Increase Over September 2
JACKSON, Miss. - (September 6, 2005) – Today’s briefing from Cellular South, the largest privately held wireless provider in the U.S.
Today’s Updates
Cellular South has been operational in the hardest hit areas since August 29, the day Hurricane Katrina made landfall.
As of 3:30 CST (9/6/05), the company is handling daily over seven million minutes of use in South Mississippi. Nearly 2.6 million of those are on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the area of the state hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. This reflects a 50% increase since Friday, September 2. For many in Mississippi’s affected hurricane area, Cellular South has been the only means of communication.
3,100 victims and evacuees assisted over the past 24 hours. Since yesterday, Cellular South has been operating Free Call and Cell Phone Charger Centers for any customer, regardless of their wireless carrier.
More than 90% of the Cellular South retail locations on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and in the Pine Belt are open. Cellular South stores with damage in Gulfport, Pass Christian and Bay St. Louis are operating out of tents.
Continuing Emergency Service Assistance
Cellular South has provided loaner phones to Red Cross Shelters around the state so evacuees who are not Cellular South customers will have access to communication.
Hundreds of cell phones have been provided to first responders, government agencies and disaster relief teams who are coordinating Mississippi’s disaster relief efforts.
For updates, call #STORM from your Cellular South phones, call toll-free 1.888.790.7211 or check www.cellularsouth.com.
About Cellular South
The company is the largest privately held wireless provider in the U.S. and is licensed to provide wireless service – to a total population of more than five million people – on its network stretching from the Memphis Metropolitan Area, throughout all of Mississippi, along Coastal Alabama and the Florida Panhandle through Walton County. The company has been named Mississippi Business Journal’s Salute to Business and Industry 2005 Large Retailer. For more information, contact Cellular South at 1-877-CSOUTH1 or visit cellularsouth.com.
Contact:
Tanya Rankin, Cellular South (601) 974-7134 trankin@cellularsouth.com
