Coronavirus has turned the entire world upside-down. The economy has shaken, and many companies fell. Thousands more have had to temporarily close their doors, send employees home, or lay off more than half the staff to stay afloat. This devastation has led many of the largest corporations to step up to do their part, above and beyond sick pay. Hotels, closed due to travel restrictions, are opening their doors providing extra hospital beds. Restaurants are delivering and donating meals. But who we’re most proud of is the telecom industry! Communications competitors have come together in an incredible show of compassion, solidarity, and understanding of the current situation to keep the nation online and able to reach basic necessities from home.

Verizon, Comcast, Charter, Google, T-Mobile, Sprint, and many others have banded together to sign a pledge with the FCC, promising to keep signal strong and accessible, even in homes who cannot pay the bills this month due to COVID-19 financial hardship.

 The Telecom Pledge to Maintain Service

In Mid-March, the FCC hosted a 60-day pledge and invited every telecom provider to US states and territories to join. We are so proud of every telecom brand, big and small, that has chosen to join because–let’s face it– right now internet connection could be the difference between life and death.

Here is what the telecommunications industry pledges to help keep everyone safe at home:

• To Abstain from All Service Cancellations due to Non-Payment
• To Waive All Late Billing Fees Caused by COVID-19 Hardship
• To Open Wifi Hotspots to All Americans in Need

Why Stay-at-Home Makes Internet Essential

The only thing that’s slowing down the spread of coronavirus right now seems to be the stay-at-home order. However, staying at home and avoiding other people is not survivable without an internet connection. Businesses are stepping up to provide online resources, delivery, and no-contact services. Even those hiring are doing so through virtual staffing. But households can’t access these services and live safely isolated at home unless they can reach the web with speeds fast enough to use normal apps and web pages.

Telecom Companies Comprehend the Dire Straits

Telecom companies often seem like industry giants, but they are made up of people like any other business. From execs to field technicians to customer support, telecom staff are also working at home, alone or surrounded by family. We are all learning how to order groceries online, holding our meetings through video-chat, and worrying about distant loved ones who don’t share our homes. This is why the leading telecom companies and many smaller allies have banded together to sign this pledge.

Going the Extra Mile

In addition to the pledge itself, a few brands are taking their aid efforts a step further. AT&T, for example, has waived overage fees for customers on data-capped internet plans. Comcast, along with a wide array of other telecom brands, is offering a significantly reduced-price Essentials internet package to connect families who do not already have sufficient home internet. Cell phone and internet service providers are doing a multitude of business adjustments to help people stay connected.

We would like to thank our Telecom industry and every company that has put the value of human life above the financial status-quo. During this pandemic crisis, we are humans first and everything else comes after that. Here at NextGen, we are proud to provide telecom staffing services to a compassionate and essential industry. Contact us today for more industry updates, opportunities to work in this industry, or to learn more about how we can serve your telecommunications staffing needs.