AT&T, North America's largest mobile carrier, has announced that it will offer more than 2,000 free GoPhone handsets to US residents who need to evacuate their houses as a preventive measure against the devastations that Hurricane Gustav might cause.

 

The handsets are given with a $15 national air time credit each, via all of AT&T's stores from Houston and San Antonio – two of the major US cities where lots of evacuees from Texas and Louisiana have arrived. AT&T says that the devices will be available starting the evening of September 1, being offered on a "first come, first served basis." The receivers must have at least 16 years of age and must present a valid US photo ID with the ZIP code of a region declared as "mandatory evacuation area." Only one phone per person will be offered.

 

"In times of crisis, the ability to connect with family and friends is a necessity and, at the same time, comforting. Hopefully, this offer will allow many of those forced from their homes by Hurricane Gustav to take care of critical needs or simply reconnect with loved ones," stated Chris Penrose, vice president and general manager for AT&T's wireless unit in South Texas.

 

Formed on August 25, near Haiti, Gustav is the second major hurricane of the so-called "2008 Atlantic hurricane season." Gustav has already made landfall in the US, in the state of Louisiana, from where more than 1.9 million people have been evacuated. The hurricane might also affect the states of Texas, Mississippi and Alabama, where authorities are doing their best to minimize the possible damages.

 

In order to find the addresses of the Houston and San Antonio stores (in which the aforementioned free GoPhones will be available), you can visit AT&T's official website, at this address.