Here’s a Media Advisory on Smart and Sun Cellular’s Network Readiness and Preparation for Typhoon Ruby/Hagupit.
SMART & SUN are preparing for Typhoon ‘Hagupit’, which is expected to make landfall this weekend. We continue to monitor the typhoon’s movement, and plans are in place to maintain communication services and ensure speedy response and restoration should facilities be adversely affected.
We are prepositioning restoration equipment and personnel in the Visayas, Southern Luzon & Northern Mindanao regions. The equipment includes generator sets and batteries that will support capacities of telecommunications equipment in the region, as well as equipment for free call and free charging services. This will enable Smart-Sun to respond quickly to failures and community needs as they occur.
Rest assured that Smart & Sun are exerting all efforts to minimize, if not prevent, interruptions to vital telecommunications services that may be caused by typhoon ‘Hagupit’.
All mobile phone users, meanwhile, are encouraged to:
1. Fully charge cell phone batteries and ensure that you have airtime for at least 3 days.
2. In the event of power outages, conserve battery power. Make judicious use of voice calls. Text messaging uses less power.
3. Store emergency numbers in your cell phone — family members you can call for help, television and radio stations where you can get storm information, and responding relief agencies like the National Disaster Coordinating Council, local government units, local police, local chapter of the Philippine National Red Cross, etc. Keep a hard copy as well in case you run out of battery and need to use the numbers.
4. Keep a battery-operated radio handy as well as spare batteries to make sure you stay informed about important news like evacuation warnings, storm updates, rescue developments, etc. in case electric and communication facilities shut down.
5. Keep your cell phone dry. Wrap it in plastic or use cling-wrap for easy use.
