The latest on our Maui wildfires response.
More on our network response, community support and relief offer to customers.
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Updated as of August 30, 2023 at 3:30 PM ET
On today’s edition of Up To Speed, we shared an update regarding the devastating wildfires raging across the island of Maui, the second largest Hawaiian island.
During this difficult time, we are staying connected with V Teamers in Maui, monitoring our network and providing relief to customers.
We heard from Corey Shaffer from our Network Operations team, who shared an update.
Latest customer relief and community support
- Fiber and microwave backhaul solutions deployed in West Maui are providing the level of service customers enjoyed before the fires
- Verizon extends unlimited call/text/data offer for Maui customers through September 7
- Verizon makes a $25,000 to the American Red Cross for direct aid to Maui
- Community connection center set up outside Verizon store in Lahaina, providing free wifi, use of Internet connected laptops, phones and device charging
For more details, please visit this press release.
Network restored in West Maui
Verizon has restored network coverage in West Maui, bringing service to all areas that were covered before the recent wildfires. For more details, please visit this press release.
Unlimited calling extended
Talk/Text/Data usage incurred from August 10 - 31 will be waived for Verizon customers on Maui. Plus, a network update including Verizon voice coverage has been restored in West Maui. For more information, please visit this press release.
Further network restoration details
Service has been restored to Upcountry and parts of West Maui; mobile charging stations available at three evacuation shelters. For all the latest details on Maui restoration efforts, please visit this press release.
Progress on network restoration
Temporary network equipment arrives to help with service; free charging and bottled water available to customers of any carrier at Verizon’s Pu`unene store in Kahului. For more information and details on Maui restoration efforts, please visit this press release.
Verizon donation towards Maui relief efforts
In response to the devastating wildfires that have ravaged the island of Maui, Verizon is contributing $100,000 to the Hawai`i Community Foundation. Verizon’s donation will support the Maui Strong Fund, which was created to provide community resilience with resources for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. The fund is currently being used to support communities affected by the wildfires on Maui. For more information and details on our donation, please visit our press release.
Efforts on the Island
Our team is closely monitoring the situation on the ground and our network performance. Verizon engineers are working to restore service in impacted areas as quickly and safely as possible.
Our network has areas of degraded service on Maui due to power and fiber damage caused by the fire. Those areas are concentrated along the west side of the island: Lahaina, Kaanapali, Napili, and Kapalua. Our network team is working closely with the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and the Maui County Emergency Operations Center to prioritize network recovery, while ensuring the safety of our employees.
We are mobilizing emergency network assets, including mobile cells sites, to Maui. The team is deploying satellite-based mobile hotspots in evacuation centers. Larger assets were transported by barge from Honolulu overnight and will be deployed in areas of greatest need.
Our Verizon Response and Verizon Frontline Crisis Response teams are available 24/7 to coordinate with first responders. We are mobilizing portable satellite assets, network extenders, charging stations, devices, special equipment, emergency vehicles and more to support local, state and federal agencies during emergency response operations. First responder customers with wireless priority service should utilize *272 when placing calls.
Here’s an update for the V Team directly from Retail Director Irwin Siongco who’s currently in Maui.
Relief for residents
Verizon-owned prepaid brands including Straight Talk, Tracfone, Total by Verizon, Simple Mobile, Safelink, Walmart Family Mobile, Net10, GoSmart, and Page Plus recently announced that customers with Maui zip codes reaching their month-end service in the next four days, August 10-13, will have their service extended by another week.
Additionally, in an effort to bring some relief to the thousands of consumer and small business customers who are dealing with this difficult situation, Verizon is waiving prepaid and postpaid call/text/data usage incurred from August 10 to 23, 2023, for Maui residents. This includes all prepaid and postpaid consumer and small business customers with Maui billing addresses.
It’s our hope that this will provide a little peace of mind for these customers who are relying now more than ever on their mobile devices, as they work to recover from this disaster.
Customers do not have to take any action to take advantage of the offer and any whose bill cycle has already closed will have overages automatically credited back.
How you can help your fellow V Teamers
V Team if you’d like to help, please keep our VtoV Employee Relief Fund top of mind.
The VtoV Employee Relief Fund is a charity that provides aid for Verizon employees displaced from their homes due to natural disasters - such as fire, flood or severe weather - or domestic violence. The grants are used toward food, clothing, shelter and other necessities during life-changing disasters such as these devastating fires.
If you’re able to, please consider making a contribution, you can click here to donate and learn more.
Text to Give
Verizon customers can help The Salvation Army in their disaster relief efforts by texting the word WILDFIRES to 52000 and $10 will be added to their Verizon bill and donated to The Salvation Army upon confirmation of the billing zip code. All of the funds raised will provide food, shelter, emotional and spiritual care, and other much-needed services to those affected on the Big Island and Maui.
Volunteer on the Citizen Verizon Volunteers Portal
Support families in Maui by providing emergency supplies and critical disaster relief resources.
Help those impacted by the Maui wildfires by virtually donating food items or directly sending essential items to the Maui Food Bank.
