RIDGELAND, Miss.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–With frigid winter weather likely to produce another round of freezing rain and snow today in the Southeast, Cellular South is offering some timely reminders and smartphone apps to help consumers weather the chilly conditions and use their wireless device when it’s cold outside.
“When these types of conditions occur, people depend on their wireless phones as a lifeline to the outside world.”
Protect Your Wireless Phone
- Fully charge your primary wireless phone and secure back-up batteries and a vehicle charger in a dry, accessible location. Cold temperatures can drain the battery more quickly. Use a car charger to keep your phone working if you get stranded or stuck in traffic on icy or snowy roads.
- Handle your phone carefully in cold weather as some display screens may become brittle or crack when exposed to extreme cold temperatures for long periods of time.
- If possible, keep your phone in a warm place and avoid leaving it in an outside pocket or backpack or in the car overnight. When outside in cold weather, carry your phone in an inside jacket pocket, keeping it close to your body for warmth.
- You may have difficulty dialing or accessing the virtual touchscreen or QWERTY keyboards with gloves so consider using gloves with exposed fingers.
- Maintain a list of emergency phone numbers for police, fire, rescue agencies, power companies, insurance providers and family, friends and co-workers and program them into your phone address book.
- Prepare an emergency supply kit with items, including a flashlight and battery-powered radio with extra batteries, canned and non-perishable food, bottled water, toiletry items, pet food and supplies, medicine and prescription medication and copies of important family papers and documents.
Improve Your Winter Weather “App”titude
- Download free winter apps to your smartphone from Android Market, including:
- The Weather Channel – takes your weather experience to the next level with animating radar, hourly and extended forecasts, severe weather alerts and more so you’ll know what kind of winter weather is headed your way.
- WeatherBug – check current conditions, view animated Doppler radar image and get the latest local weather information and severe weather alerts for your community and thousands of locations around the world. Also, users can access extended 7-day detailed forecasts, enhanced contour weather maps, live weather station camera images and more.
- US Traffic – see updated traffic reports in your local area and take alternate routes to avoid extended delays and backups caused by accidents or severe weather conditions.
- How Cold Is It? – a wallpaper that changes color depending on the outside temperature – deep red when it’s hot and icy white when it’s freezing cold.
- ShoppeHUB – allows you to make secure purchases on cold weather gear, including winter clothing.
- Coffee Shop Finder – find the nearest café or restaurant that serves your favorite coffee.
- Auto insurance apps – AAA Roadside, Pocket Agent by State Farm and Allstate Mobile allow you to report auto accidents, request roadside help, file claims and search and locate repair facilities.
Precautionary Steps
- Check with your employer and, if possible, stay home and do not drive in snowy or icy road conditions.
- Keep clear of downed power lines. Even if electricity appears to be off, leave the lines alone. Do not attempt to move them, but instead contact your local electric utility to report the downed power lines, utility poles or tree limbs.
- Operate emergency generators outdoors and avoid using a generator inside your home or garage.
- Turn off all home appliances to prevent a surge once commercial power is restored.
- Exercise caution when using alternative heating sources. Avoid using a stove for heating as it can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Allow water to drip from faucets during extremely cold weather so water pressure can be relieved and to prevent pipes from bursting in your home. If you are concerned that your pipes are frozen and may have burst, turn off your water supply at the main shut off valve and contact a plumber.
- Place voice calls only when necessary. Limit your personal calls so that capacity is available for 9-1-1 calls and other emergency responders.
- Use the camera on your wireless device to document damage to your personal property, home or business and use picture and video messaging to send them to insurance agents or other contacts.
452 315 positiveHorizontal.jpg
Putting the Work Back in Network
Cellular South, the largest privately owned wireless communications provider in the U.S., has placed its network management staff and all contractors on emergency standby this week and has readied its extensive web of cell sites and other infrastructure for the severe winter weather conditions. “Our preparations are designed to give customers maximum reliability from their wireless phones at the time of greatest need,” said Trey Howard, director of Network Operations for Cellular South. “When these types of conditions occur, people depend on their wireless phones as a lifeline to the outside world.”
Howard said the wireless carrier’s 1,150-member workforce, along with the company’s extensive network resources, will be on “high alert” the rest of this week to respond to any potential impacts to its wireless network infrastructure. Cellular South also stands ready to activate its Emergency Response Plan, which guides the deployment of company resources and personnel during a crisis.
The company is coordinating its precautionary preparations with local, state and federal agencies, including the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), the office of Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and the National Weather Service. For more information about emergency planning and communication tips, go to MEMA at www.msema.org/preparation/winter.html. For the latest weather information and forecast, go to National Weather Service at www.srh.noaa.gov and click on your area.
About Cellular South
Cellular South is a diversified mobile communications company passionately committed to helping customers get the most out of their wireless devices and services. The nation’s largest privately owned wireless communications provider accomplishes this goal by optimizing customers’ app experience through Discover Apps, providing the most reliable and advanced high-speed nationwide wireless voice and data network, offering industry-leading family and unlimited flat rate voice, text and mobile web plans, and through its online and in-store Discover Centers, which give customers easy, simple and convenient tools, tips, advice and information on how to get the most out of their mobile phone. For more information about Cellular South and its products and services, visit www.cellularsouth.com.
