PSA: FREE Long Distance Calls & Text Messages to the Philippines for AT&T & Verizon Customers

philippine flag typhoon haiyan

Just want to share this news with all my friends here in the United States who have family and friends in the Philippines. If you’re an AT&T or Verizon customer, you can make long-distance calls and send text messages to the Philippines for FREE.

Service-relief programs vary for each carrier so please make sure you read the details carefully before you start making long-distance calls and/or send text messages.

AT&T

AT&T has implemented an international calling and texting relief effort for their U.S. residential wireless and wireline customers who are trying to contact their family and friends in the Philippines after the recent devastating typhoon.

Effective November 8th to November 30th, all AT&T wireless customers from the U.S., Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands will not be charged for long-distance calls or text messages to the Philippines. Customers who will make calls and send text messages to the Philippines during this period will see no charges on their monthly statements for the period November 8 – 30, 2013.

AT&T wireline and U-verse Voice customers will be able to make 60-minute direct dial calls to the Philippines with no charges for the same time period. Customers will either see no charges for these calls on their monthly statement or will receive credit in a later statement.

AT&T has also opened up a special text-to-donate program for the disaster support efforts for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. If you’re an AT&T wireless customer you can text “AID” to the shortcodes listed below to give a $10 donation. No text message fees apply.

  • Text AID to 50555 to give a $10 donation to Operation USA
  • Text AID to 80077 to give $10 to HOPE Worldwide
  • Text AID to 27722 to give $10 to World Food Program USA
  • Text AID to 80108 to give $10 The mGive Foundation Philippines Typhoon Relief Fund (U.S .State Dept Campaign)

Full details here.

Verizon

Verizon has also implemented their own service-relief operation for its customers who would like to contact their loved ones in the Philippines.

Verizon will waive charges for all long-distance calls and text messages made to the Philippines from November 8th thru December 7th. Calls made to the Philippines from Verizon residential landline numbers will be charged $0.00 per minute from November 8 thru December 7, 2013.

Verizon World Plan customers (300 or 500 minutes international calling) can make calls to the Philippines without being charged for any minutes from their time-allotment blocks.

All Verizon Wireless post-paid customers (subscribers who receive monthly bills) will also be able to make free calls and send free text & multimedia messages to the Philippines within the same time period.

Verizon customers can send their donations by texting the following shortcodes to their respective numbers:

  • Text RELIEF to 25383 to give to Catholic Relief Services
  • Text AID to 80077 to give to HOPE Worldwide
  • Text AID to 50555 to give to Operation USA
  • Text DONATE to 20222 to give to Save the Children
  • Text RELIEF to 864233 to give to UNICEF
  • Text AID to 27722 to give to World Food Program USA
  • Text HOPE to 777444 to give to WORLD VISION

Full details here

As of writing, there’s no word whether Sprint & T-Mobile will be offering service-relief to their customers.

I’m very glad and thankful for the service-relief programs offered by AT&T and Verizon that make it possible for the thousands of Filipinos here in the United States (including myself) to contact our families, loved ones, and friends in the Philippines.

Let’s continue to pray for all the victims and families affected by Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda as well as the folks who are out there organizing and doing the relief operations. If you can, please make a donation to reputable organizations such as the Red Cross, UNICEF, or ADRA to make sure that your donations reach the people who need it. God bless us all!

Also, please share this information with your family and friends who might find this useful in their efforts to make long distance calls and contact their loved ones and friends in the Philippines.

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