14 companies including Vodafone, AT&T announced free calling, roaming will not be charged
In the midst of the ongoing war between Russia-Ukraine, where tech companies have come forward to help Ukraine. So now telecom companies have also come forward in support of Ukraine. In the midst of the war, more than a dozen telcos, including Deutsche Telecom, AT&T and Vodafone, have announced free international calls to Ukraine. These companies have also abolished roaming charges.
European telecommunications lobbying group ETNO said an internal survey showed at least 13 of its members have come forward to help Ukrainians after Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Similar is expected from other companies and institutions in the coming days.
14 telecom companies came in support of Ukraine
Telecom companies that have abolished roaming charges in addition to free international calls in Ukraine include Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica, Telia Co., A1 Telecom Austria Group, Telenor, Proximus, KPN, Vodafone, Vivacom, TIM Telecom Italia, Altis Portugal. and Swisscom.
Many of these companies are providing free SIM cards to refugees in neighboring countries. Apart from this, free Wi-Fi and SMS donation is also going on in the refugee camps. Last week, US telecom group AT&T said that its US consumer and business customers will get unlimited long distance calling in Ukraine until March 7.
Verizon has said it is waiving charges for calls from Ukraine to landlines and consumer or business wireless phones until March 10. Verizon has also eliminated voice and text roaming charges for its customers in Ukraine.