The Register: There is some welcome relief today for those people left wading through the remains of New Orleans – T-Mobile has announced it will offer free Wi-Fi access across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama until the end of the week, and “possibly beyond that if the situation warrants it”.
T-Mobile said in a statement: “The free service is intended for those who have been displaced from their homes or are seeking refuge from the hurricane,” adding: “This free offer for the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama is for Wi-Fi service only, not T-Mobile voice services. There will be no charge for T-Mobile HotSpot service, at these locations, through the end of day Friday, September 2, 2005. The situation will be re-evaluated at that time to determine if the free service will continue.”
While we’re not entirely convinced that the company has actually been watching the TV footage of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina – and let’s be honest, swimming to the nearest Starbucks to enjoy a double mocha chocka latte decaf while, ahem, surfing the web as the Louisiana National Guard battle gamely to protect the store’s blueberry muffins from looters – the company can at least be applauded for the gesture.
Free Wi-Fi service? Wonderbar. What they really oughta do is fix their damn cell phone service near the gulf–then get an airlift of cheap cell phones and batteries down there. No one’s heard from Fats Domino since Monday.
Where’s Catherine Zeta-Jones when you need her?