TAMPA, Fla., May 17 (UPI) -- Cingular Wireless set up two mobile command centers in the United States to be prepared for the upcoming hurricane season.
The centers, called the mobile access command headquarters, will be completely self-sufficient centers that can be deployed into an affected area where they can be set up and operate within two hours of arrival. More than 30 technicians will be able to work from the centers that will be equipped with generators, a satellite dish and LAN connectivity.
The carrier said it will also invest $1.8 billion to improve its network coverage in the southeast region, including setting up more than 800 new cell sites.
"Cingular's goal is to be as prepared as possible whenever and wherever disaster hits; to be able to restore any wireless service outages as quickly as possible; and to assist with overall relief efforts as much as we possibly can," said Ralph de la Vega, chief operating officer. "We continue to invest millions of dollars in our networks, our systems and our emergency response efforts to be better prepared for hurricanes and other disasters."
