AT&T Supports Initiatives to Aid Japan Quake Victims

TOKYO, March 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T*  today announced it is supporting three international relief agencies -- Telecoms Sans Frontieres, Project HOPE and Aidmatrix Network ® -- to assist ongoing relief efforts for the victims of last week's devastating earthquake in Japan.  

AT&T said it is contributing to the three organizations, as it continues to support network communications and other initiatives to help global companies continue to operate in Japan, and to help people call friends and loved ones.  

"Our thoughts are with the families of the people in Japan who have lost their lives, and those who are facing the challenges of these natural disasters," said Laura Sanford, Assistant Vice President of Corporate Contributions.  "We are pleased to support these charitable organizations in their missions in Japan and around the world.  We have a long-standing relationship with these organizations and we admire the excellent work they do."

The AT&T Global Network Operations Center in Bedminster, New Jersey, U.S.A. continues to monitor and re-route traffic as needed so that businesses can operate and people can call in and out of the country.

The company said that all 142 AT&T employees in Japan have been accounted for and are safe.  

AT&T is contributing $275,000 to the three organizations, whose efforts are outlined below:

• Telecoms Sans Frontieres -- the leading international humanitarian organization specializing in emerging telecommunications – has deployed an emergency team from its regional base in Bangkok to assess the needs for telecommunications and provide emergency aid to the local population and the emergency workers.
• Project HOPE --  an international humanitarian aid and health education organization, is assessing the need for medicines and supplies for thousands of people impacted by the earthquake in Japan and the resulting tsunamis around the Pacific Rim.  Project HOPE is also in communications with PH-Japan, formerly named Project HOPE Japan, to determine how both organizations can work together to provide humanitarian relief to families and individuals devastated by the disaster.
• Aidmatrix --  an online community of more than 40,000 nonprofits, and corporate partners that work together to help with humanitarian crises – has launched recovery efforts and reached out to 50 of the leading nonprofits, governments, and business groups helping Japan respond to the disaster.  Aidmatrix has also launched a donation management program with their current partners in the region.

AT&T employees are able to make gifts online to number of organisations.

In parallel, AT&T in the U.S. is contributing the following to the relief effort:

• AT&T will donate 10,000 prepaid calling cards to the U.S. military for distribution to those supporting humanitarian relief efforts in Japan.
• AT&T has implemented international calling and texting support efforts for U.S. residential wireless and wireline consumers trying to connect with loved ones in Japan.
• Beginning last week, March 11, and continuing through March 31, AT&T wireless postpaid customers will not be charged for:
  • International long distance usage from the United States and Puerto Rico to Japan
  • Text messages to Japan, originated from a U.S. wireless number
• In addition, and also effective March 11 through March 31, residential wireline customers can seek credits for up to 60 minutes of direct dial calling to Japan. Upon receiving their wireline bill, customers may call AT&T to receive adjusted calling for up to 60 minutes. In other words, no charges for up to 60 minutes of call time from the United States to Japan between March 11 and March 31.
• AT&T has teamed up with the American Red Cross by collecting donations from U.S. customers to help provide food, shelter, counseling and other assistance to victims of the disaster.  To make a $10 donation to the Red Cross, AT&T wireless customers can text REDCROSS to 90999 to support the people affected in Japan.  No text message fees will apply.  So far our customers have donated over $1 million using this capability.
• AT&T has also made TV Japan, the 24-hour Japanese news channel, available for free to all U-verse TV subscribers so they can keep up with the latest news and recovery efforts from Japan. TV Japan is available to all U-verse TV customers for free through March 25 on channel 3680.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries.  It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T | DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising.

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