Alltel Stands Ready as Ernesto Heads toward South Florida; Tips Will Help Customers Prepare for Emergencies.

TAMPA, Fla. -- As Tropical Storm Ernesto heads for south Florida and the Florida Keys, Alltel Wireless (NYSE: AT) has taken extensive steps to prepare for weather-related emergencies.

"Alltel has a plan in place during hurricane season and throughout the year to make sure all of our customers stay connected to their love ones during storms such as this," said Tony Alfonso, vice president of retail services for southern Florida. "Alltel has made significant investments in its wireless network to improve coverage and reliability, and after last year's hurricanes, we were one of the first carriers to restore service to the Gulf Coast states."

Customers can prepare by:

--Verifying that wireless phones are working properly.

--Programming wireless phones with emergency contact numbers.

--Making sure wireless phone batteries remain fully charged.

--Keeping additional charged batteries on hand along with car chargers. Phones, batteries and chargers should be kept in dry, easily accessible areas.

--Having a non-cordless telephone available at home in the event of a power outage.

In addition, in the event a hurricane occurs, customers should consider:

--Using Text Messaging instead of trying to place a call.

--Limiting non-emergency calls, whenever possible.

--Waiting 10-15 seconds before dialing again if a call fails to go through.

--Using their camera phones to record damage for insurance purposes.

Alltel for years has maintained a formal plan for preparing for hurricanes and then responds with manpower, generators and equipment once a storm hits. The company routinely opens a remote Hurricane Command Center to manage resources and lead network recovery efforts during disasters.

Alltel also works to help customers in hard-hit areas. Retail stores remain open as long as possible and reopen as soon as conditions permit to allow customers access to phone chargers and batteries. Alltel opens mobile retail stores in particularly hard-hit areas.

Last year, Alltel retail stores across the country provided customers displaced by the hurricanes with phones to make free calls to friends and family. The company also provided free nationwide roaming and long-distance to customers in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast.

This year, Alltel already has:

--Secured agreements with vendors to provide fuel to keep trucks and generators running.

--Placed generators on standby in hurricane-prone areas, and tested on-site backup generators for readiness in case of a power outage. In addition, the company has purchased more than 100 new generators.

--Prepared to provide lodging, RVs, food and water for technicians working in storm-hit areas.

Alltel is owner and operator of the nation's largest wireless network and has more than 11 million wireless customers.

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