Verizon Wireless will continue providing free cell phones to people in the Gulf Coast who were impacted by Hurricane Katrina for another three months.
The company announced Monday that it would remain in the government's Katrina Lifeline program until June 1, providing qualified applicants with a prepaid handset and 300 minutes of airtime.
Wireless phones became a vital tool in the post-storm recovery for reuniting families uprooted from their homes and scattered to evacuation centers around the United States.
Verizon said it has received inquiries from thousands of people since the storm rolled across New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast region.
Qualified applicants must live in designated areas of Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi and receive eligibility from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. They can reach Verizon to request an application at 1-866-442-7950.
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
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