Ready for Anything: T-Mobile Strengthens Powerful Technology Arsenal for Hurricane and Wildfire Seasons

Business Wire

01-05-2025

BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hurricane and wildfire seasons are here, and T-Mobile is ready. As extreme weather events become more frequent and intense, the Un-carrier has stepped up its preparedness efforts with new advanced technology, expanded capabilities and an even more resilient network to keep people connected when it matters most.
This year, T-Mobile has rolled out next-gen technology and upgrades to support disaster response and recovery, including:
Smarter Network That Reacts Faster: T-Mobile's Enhanced Self-Organizing Network (SON) uses real-time data and AI to detect issues and adapt automatically, ensuring more reliable connectivity before, during and after disasters.
Seamless Satellite Messaging: T-Satellite with Starlink, America's first and only 'direct connect' satellite service, has delivered over 500,000 messages and 140 Wireless Emergency Alerts during recent hurricanes and wildfires — no setup, apps or extra hardware required on most modern smartphones.
AI-Powered Threat Detection: T-Mobile's Emergency Operations Centers now use Dataminr integrated into Everbridge to better detect severe weather and infrastructure threats in real time.
Bigger, Stronger Response Vehicles: T-Mobile has added new, larger and tech-loaded XL SatCOWs (Satellite Cell on Wheels) and XL SatCOLTs (Satellite Cell on Large Trucks) – the largest and most capable in T-Mobile's fleet that provide more coverage than existing trucks.
Unprecedented Support for Response Efforts: T-Mobile's T-Priority features the nation's first network slice for first responders and helps them stay prepared, respond faster and protect the communities they serve.
'At T-Mobile, we know that in today's world, staying connected isn't a luxury — it's a lifeline,' said Ulf Ewaldsson, President of Technology, T-Mobile. 'We're constantly advancing our network's strong foundation with smarter technology, advanced AI and space-based satellite innovation to make it even more responsive and resilient.'
Self-Organizing Network: Smarter, Faster Disaster Response with AI and Automation
Through proactive AI, T-Mobile's SON enables the network to self-heal and adapt in real time — detecting outages, assessing nearby cell sites and optimizing performance automatically to maintain coverage and prevent congestion.
If a cell tower goes down, SON can automatically adjust nearby sites — tilt antennas, increase power and reroute signals — to fill coverage gaps. It also smartly distributes network traffic to prevent backup sites from becoming overloaded, helping preserve reliable service even when strained. When commercial power fails, SON conserves energy by shifting spectrum use to extend generator and battery life.
During Hurricanes Helene and Milton, T-Mobile's SON performed over 121,000 antenna adjustments. And during the Southern California wildfires, it executed more than 12,000 — all to keep people connected.
T-Satellite: Connectivity When Needed
With T-Satellite's satellite-to-mobile service, people can text friends, family and 911 — regardless of wireless provider when cell towers are down. T-Satellite is the first and only space-based mobile network in the country that connects your phone automatically when traditional cell service isn't available — no action needed.
Dataminr: Preparedness Starts with Visibility and Innovation
T-Mobile has boosted the speed and accuracy of its disaster response by integrating Dataminr's real-time AI-powered alert system into its Everbridge Visual Command Center — the company's centralized hub for threat monitoring. This integration scans vast amounts of public data — from expert sources to news sites — to detect emerging events and provide early alerts for severe weather, infrastructure risks and emergencies across the U.S. This gives T-Mobile faster threat visibility than before, enabling quicker risk assessment and resource mobilization to respond more effectively to protect network operations.
New XL Fleet, Hybrid Tech and Hardened Network Enable Rapid Emergency Response
T-Mobile has expanded its emergency fleet with new XL Satellite assets — XL SatCOWs (Satellite Cell on Wheels) and XL SatCOLTs (Satellite Cell on Large Trucks) — featuring automated deployment, 80 to 100-feet masts and remote monitoring. These additions bolster a nationwide fleet of satellite-enabled vehicles.
New hybrid portable generators extend site uptime with refuels, further supporting T-Mobile's hardened network, that includes overlapping coverage, backup power, redundant backhaul routes and rigorous site maintenance.
Following Hurricanes Helene and Milton in October 2024, T-Mobile restored 99% of customer connectivity within 72 hours of landfall for each hurricane, twice as fast as in previous hurricanes, deploying 600 emergency crew members and over 800 generators. During the Southern California wildfires, 99% of network sites were restored within nine days of the ongoing emergency. Throughout the disaster, T-Mobile also provided critical equipment to first responders and free charging packs, hotspots and home internet to anyone in need — regardless of their provider.
Priority Connectivity for First Responders
T-Priority, T-Mobile's innovative solution for first responders, delivers better network performance through a dedicated 5G slice that provides up to five times the network resources available to the average user. This ensures that first responders on eligible plans get lower latency and faster 5G speeds more consistently for data-intensive communications tools, along with the highest priority connectivity even in the most congested conditions.
See more on T-Mobile's disaster preparedness and response efforts at https://www.t-mobile.com/news/emergency-response. Visit T-Mobile.com/news and follow @TMobileNews on X, to stay up to date with the latest company news.
Anyone with a compatible device is eligible for T-Satellite Beta trial; limited spots available. Developing technology available in most areas, most of the time; ultimately available in most outdoor areas where you can see the sky.
About T-Mobile
T-Mobile US, Inc. (NASDAQ: TMUS) is America's supercharged Un-carrier, delivering an advanced 4G LTE and transformative nationwide 5G network that will offer reliable connectivity for all. T-Mobile's customers benefit from its unmatched combination of value and quality, unwavering obsession with offering them the best possible service experience and undisputable drive for disruption that creates competition and innovation in wireless and beyond. Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile provides services through its subsidiaries and operates its flagship brands, T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile and Mint Mobile. For more information please visit: https://www.t-mobile.com.