In response to the catastrophe in Japan, all four major U.S. wireless providers—AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile & Verizon—are offering free calls to help you connect with friends and loved ones. These companies should be commended for their compassion.
AT&T
Effective March 11 and continuing through March 31, AT&T wireless postpaid customers will not be charged for:
- International long distance usage from the United States and Puerto Rico to Japan
- Text messages to Japan, originated from a U.S. wireless number
- Residential wireline customers can seek credits for up to 60 minutes of direct dial calling to Japan.
- AT&T is making TV Japan—the 24 hour Japanese news channel—available for free through March 17 to all U-verse® TV subscribers, allowing viewers to follow the news and recovery efforts. TV Japan can be found on channel 3680.
Sprint
Effective March 11 and continuing to April 10, 2011, Sprint is waiving and/or crediting fees for wireless calls and text messages to and from Japan for customers who are on Sprint’s networks.
T-Mobile
Effective March 11 and continuing through March 31, T-Mobile U.S. postpaid customers will not be charged for:
- International long distance to Japan
- Wi-Fi calls to and from Japan
- Text (SMS) messaging to and from Japan
Verizon
Effective March 11 and continuing to April 10, 2011, Verizon is enabling most wireless and residential customers to make free calls to Japan. Customers will not be charged for:
- Wireless postpaid customers will receive free calling to Japan
- Wireless postpaid customers will receive free text and multimedia messaging to Japan
- All calls made from a Verizon residential landline to Japan will be rated at $0.00 per minute. Customers with Verizon World Plan (300, 500 or unlimited minutes of long-distance calling) can call Japan without using any minutes from their time-allotment blocks.
- Prepaid Phone Card charges for all long-distance calls placed to Japan from the U.S will also be waived.
- FiOS TV customers who are not subscribed to TV Japan will receive free access to the channel, through March 17. The channel location is 1770.
