Hurricane Dorian: Carriers offering free data, texting for those in storm's path

As Hurricane Dorian approaches the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, several wireless providers are waiving overage fees so that customers in the path of the storm can stay connected and continue to receive potentially life-saving emergency information. Here’s a look at what several different major carriers have announced so far:

• AT&T: From Sept. 2 until Sept. 8, AT&T will waive talk, text and data overage charges for its wireless and prepaid customers in affected portions of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
• Verizon: Pre- and post-paid customers and small business customers in Dorian’s path will receive unlimited calling, texting and data between Sept. 2 and Sept. 9.
• Sprint: From Sept. 2 until Sept. 8, Sprint will waive call, text and data overage charges for Florida customers in Dorian’s path. Sprint had previously announced that it would waive overage fees for customers in the U.S. Virgin Islands impacted by Hurricane Dorian from Aug. 28 until Sept. 4.
• T-Mobile: As of Monday afternoon, T-Mobile has not announced fee waivers. The carrier encouraged customers to keep devices charged and said its teams are “preparing equipment in north, central and southern Florida to make sure we are able to quickly mobilize as needed after the storm.”

Dorian unleashed massive flooding across the Bahamas on Monday, pummeling the islands with so much wind and water that authorities urged people to find floatation devices and grab hammers to break out of their attics if necessary. The fearsome Category 4 storm slowed almost to a standstill as it shredded roofs, hurled cars and forced even rescue crews to take shelter until the onslaught passed.

Meanwhile, in the United States, the National Hurricane Center extended watches and warnings across the Florida and Georgia coasts. Forecasters expected Dorian to stay just offshore, but meteorologist Daniel Brown cautioned that “only a small deviation” could draw the storm’s dangerous core toward land.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.