Vodafone, Telecom, 2degrees credit customers for calls to Philippines
Vodafone sends engineers to Manila.
Following the devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines over the weekend, Vodafone will credit its New Zealand customers’ calls and txts to the Philippines.
This includes mobile, residential and business calls made to Philippine landline and mobile phones. The retrospective credit will apply to calls and TXTs made from midnight Friday November 8 to midnight tonigh, November 12.
The credit will be applied to customers’ accounts in their next bill.
Vodafone made its offer this morning. It was joined by Telecom and then 2degrees this afternoon.
Two Vodafone New Zealand engineers were deployed to Manila over the weekend, the company says.
Adrian Bullock and Rob MacLennan will be setting up an emergency mobile phone network that will provide a lifeline for aid workers and families dispersed by one of the most powerful storms on record.
They are there as part of the Vodafone Instant Network programme, managed by the Vodafone Foundation – the Vodafone Group's charitable arm.
The initiative began last year and is now supporting emergency response teams around the world. Designed to fit into four suitcases, the equipment is light enough to travel on commercial flights or in the back of a jeep. During the past 12 months, the programme has provided support in South Sudan, Congo and the Philippines, Vodafone says.
Consisting of an antenna, a laptop and a base transceiver station (a box that houses the electronics that create the signal), the equipment is powered by petrol generators and can be raised up using scaffolding or whatever materials come to hand.
Vodafone, Telecom and 2degrees are also among organisations promoting the Red Cross' Typhoon Haiyan appeal: www.redcross.org.nz/donate/typhoon-haiyan-appeal.
NBR Staff
Tue, 12 Nov 2013
Tue, 12 Nov 2013
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Vodafone, Telecom, 2degrees credit customers for calls to Philippines
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