Verizon responds to Hurricane Lala; Offers relief for Hawai’i residents and businesses

• We are donating $15,000 to the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation.
• Restoration efforts are nearing completion.
• We are offering relief to our Consumer, Value and Small Business customers.

Verizon is strengthening its support for Hawaiʻi with a $15,000 grant to the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation (HCF).

The organization is dedicated to creating an equitable and vibrant Hawaiʻi by addressing the root causes of the state’s most complex challenges. By stewarding funds and partnering with donors across the state, HCF aims to foster positive, lasting impact to help all of Hawaiʻi’s island communities thrive.

“Disaster recovery requires a unified effort between government, business, and local community leaders,” said Rudy Reyes, Regional Vice President of State Government Affairs for Verizon. “The Hawaiʻi Community Foundation is a respected community partner that knows the islands best, and we are proud to partner with them in the wake of Hurricane Lala. Through strong civic partnerships, we can ensure our resources make an immediate, direct impact to the families who need it most.”

Verizon’s grant will support the Stronger Hawai'i Fund which is a dedicated fund designed to support statewide disaster and emergency-related preparedness, response, recovery, mitigation, and resilience. Verizon is proud to continue to work with the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, building on our previous support of relief efforts following the 2023 Lahaina Fires.

“Mahalo piha to Verizon for standing with Hawai'i through their generous investment in the Stronger Hawai'i Fund. Their support helps us respond when communities need it most while strengthening our ability to prepare for the challenges ahead. Resilience is built through partnership, and together we are helping create a stronger Hawaiʻi for all who call these islands home,” said Terry George, CEO & President of the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation.

With restoration efforts nearing completion, the Verizon network is rapidly approaching baseline business-as-usual operations across Hawaiʻi. Full field engineering and vendor repair teams are actively deployed across Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island executing generator deployments and hardware repairs alongside local electric utility crews, while additional personnel from Verizon’s Disaster Incident Response Team (DIRT) continue conducting site surveys and final equipment repairs. 

While our primary network footprint is largely restored, we are actively tracking the remaining localized service impacts, primarily on the Big Island, and remain fully focused on restoring those final sites as commercial power is brought back online. Our engineers will remain on the ground checking and optimizing every cell tower, as well as supporting first responder and recovery efforts, until all impacted communities have fully recovered.

• We are offering relief to our Consumer, Value and Small Business customers. 
• Our network remains resilient across Hawaiʻi, though Hurricane Lala has caused some localized service impacts on the Big Island, Maui, Oahu, and Lanai.
• Specialized engineers from Verizon's Disaster Incident Response Team are in Hawaiʻi to bolster on-the-ground technical crews.
• Please check our store locator page for the most up-to-date information on Verizon Victra-operated store hours across the islands.

Verizon recovery teams continue to make steady progress restoring network cell sites impacted by the severe weather, even as widespread commercial power outages and road conditions pose ongoing challenges across Hawaiʻi. Operations today are heavily focused on generator refueling and gaining access to newly accessible, previously cut-off communities as local road crews clear storm debris.

To accelerate restoral efforts in the hardest-hit areas, additional specialized engineers from Verizon’s Disaster Incident Response Team arrive in Hawaiʻi today to bolster on-the-ground technical crews, conduct physical site inspections, and optimize coverage for active cell sites. Verizon network teams remain in close coordination with local emergency management agencies and first responders around the clock to support public safety operations and keep critical lines of communication open as recovery continues.

While our network is built to handle the unexpected, satellite to device capabilities give customers an extra layer of connection if cellular service is ever interrupted during a natural disaster. Learn more about how to use satellite messaging here.

We will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves. To automatically receive updates as they are posted, please visit our News Alerts Signup page or check back here regularly for the latest information.

• Verizon is offering relief to its consumer value and postpaid customers.
• Our network remains resilient across Hawaiʻi, though Hurricane Lala has caused some localized service impacts on the Big Island, Maui, Oahu, and Lanai.
• Please check our store locator page for the most up-to-date information on Verizon Victra-operated store hours across the islands.

Verizon recognizes how important connectivity is before, during and after a disaster. Following this weekend’s impacts from Lala, Verizon is offering relief to its consumer value and postpaid customers along with its small business customers*.

For customers across Verizon’s value brands, including Straight Talk, Tracfone, Total Wireless, Walmart Family Mobile, Page Plus, Simple Mobile, SafeLink Wireless, and Net10 Wireless, we are extending unlimited texting, talk and data usage throughout the state of Hawai’i through August 31.

For postpaid consumer customers as well as small business customers ^*  throughout the state of Hawai’i, Verizon will waive domestic call, text, and data charges through August 31.

Customers do not have to take any action to take advantage of the offer. Any overages for those whose billing cycles have already closed will be automatically credited back.

Overall, the Verizon network remains resilient across Hawaiʻi, though commercial power outages and equipment impacts from flood waters and strong winds continue to impede wireless services for some customers throughout the islands, including the southern tip of the Big Island from Kokena to Kehena, communities east of Kula, and East Honolulu. Local engineering and network teams are accelerating recovery efforts across the islands. Ongoing commercial power outages make massive generator refueling operations a top priority today to keep backup power running continuously at impacted cell sites. In parallel, teams are initiating physical site inspections to evaluate infrastructure and identify equipment impacts from high winds—such as antenna shifts or displacements that can affect coverage and capacity. To support immediate coverage needs and bolster capacity in the hardest-hit communities, Verizon is also deploying mobile network assets today while technical crews continue working around the clock toward full network restoration.

• We are waiving calling, texting and data charges to help our consumer and small business customers connect with loved ones.
• The Verizon network remains resilient across Hawaiʻi, though Hurricane Lala has caused some localized service impacts on the Big Island, Maui, Oahu, and Lanai.
• Please check our store locator page for the most up-to-date information on Verizon Victra-operated store hours across the islands.

In response to Hurricane Lala, Verizon will waive domestic call, text, and data charges until August 31 for prepaid and postpaid consumer customers as well as small business customers* throughout the state of Hawai’i. (everything else under this heading is good to go).

Customers do not have to take any action to take advantage of the offer. 

“When a disaster like Hurricane Lala hits, hearing a loved one’s voice is everything,” said Aimee Novak, West Area President for Verizon. “We are working to ensure our customers across the islands can reach the people who matter most. Thank you to our Verizon teams who are working hard to fully restore our network.”

The Verizon network remains resilient across Hawaiʻi, though Hurricane Lala has caused some localized service impacts on the Big Island, Maui, Oahu, and Lanai. Safety remains our highest priority. As winds subside, restoration efforts are scheduled to begin later today on Maui and the Big Island, though downed trees and road closures may slow progress. Severe weather on Oahu continues to prevent safe field deployments. Our emergency teams are monitoring network conditions 24/7 and will deploy the moment it is safe to do so.

• Preparations continue to keep customers and first responders connected across Hawai’i.
• Teams are monitoring the incoming storm and on standby to react quickly.
• Please check our store locator page for the most up-to-date information.

Verizon remains committed to providing updates ahead of Tropical Storm Lala. Preparations have been made ahead of landfall. 

Verizon Victra-operated stores may fluctuate hours, and some locations may close early to ensure the safety of our employees and community. Please check our store locator page for the most up-to-date information.

• Strengthened network infrastructure: Verizon has prepared its Hawai’i network with backup generators, satellite assets, and pre-staged equipment designed for reliability during severe weather.
• Proactive collaboration: Verizon is working directly with the Hawai’i Emergency Management Agency (HIEMA), local power providers, and public safety officials to support critical infrastructure.
• Customer resources: Verizon offers essential digital preparedness steps to help residents and businesses stay connected and secure ahead of the storm.

HONOLULU, HI.—Tropical Storm Lala is tracking toward Hawai'i this weekend. Verizon has taken proactive, on-the-ground measures across the islands to protect connectivity. The company's focus: keeping customers, local businesses and public safety partners connected when it matters most.

Engineered to withstand severe weather, a significant portion of Verizon’s network infrastructure in Hawai’i is backed by fully refueled permanent site generators with multiple days of backup power reserves. At sites without permanent generators, we have portable generators and other backup solutions available for deployment. To further reinforce operational resilience against potential disruptions, Verizon engineers have satellite assets available to dispatch as needed.

Verizon is also working in close coordination with local power companies, the Hawai'i Emergency Management Agency (HIEMA), and state public safety officials to ensure the company remains on constant standby to safeguard critical communications.

While Verizon engineers work around the clock to support Hawai’i, customers are urged to finalize their personal digital preparedness plans:

1. Charge up early: Keep all mobile devices, tablets, and portable power banks fully charged well before storm watches or warnings are issued for your location.
2. Protect your gear: Place phones, chargers, and external batteries in waterproof accessories or heavy-duty zip-lock bags to safeguard them against floodwaters or rain.
3. Establish a communication plan: Coordinate a dedicated ohana (family) emergency plan and save key emergency contact numbers directly to your devices.
4. Check on your kūpuna (elders): To ensure their devices are charged and they have an emergency communication plan in place.
5. Secure visual backups: Take photos of your home, vehicle, and valuables for insurance purposes. Ensure these images are uploaded to the cloud so you can access them even if your phone is lost or damaged.
6. Utilize digital resources: Download critical weather tracking, news, and American Red Cross safety apps ahead of time.
7. Mitigate customer disruption: List critical software, equipment, service contracts and vital contacts (utilities, vendors, authorities) needed to maintain operations. Review coverage with your insurance agent to eliminate gaps.
8. Contacts and documents are key: Centralize updated contact info for all staff (including remote and satellite offices) and keep accessible, secure copies of your insurance policies. 
9. Keep track of equipment: Maintain an inventory of all corporate hardware deployed to remote employees to streamline claims for potential loss or damage. 
10. The right tech makes an impact: Secure the mobile-ready technology and infrastructure needed to maintain business connectivity if you are forced to relocate.
11.  Have a backup plan: Establish a protocol to immediately reroute workloads if remote employees lose power or face evacuation. 

Verizon will continue monitoring Tropical Storm Lala and will provide local network status updates as necessary. Customers can track real-time network status using the Check Network Status tool on Verizon’s website or directly within the My Verizon mobile app.

Visit the Emergency Resource Center for further details on Verizon’s emergency response capabilities.