Due to the dark events unfolding in the past week in Paris, France, many companies are reaching out and doing what they can to help customers connect with loved ones.
Of these many companies, major telecommunication corporations and technology firms in the United States are making their services temporarily free of charge to connect customers at home to family and friends in France.
T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon are part of the group of telecoms in the United States that are offering free calls to France. On its website, Verizon says it, along with more than 170,000 of the company's employees, extends condolences to those affected by the attacks.
As a show of support and sympathy, Verizon is providing customers with free text messaging as well as international calls to France starting Nov. 13 through Nov. 15. In addition, the company also states on its website that "Home telephone customers can make free calls to France from their U.S. landlines from Nov. 13 through Nov. 15, 2015."
In a similar move, Sprint is also dismissing fees for all international long distance calls, roaming and SMS messages made from the United States to France for Sprint, Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile customers. Unlike Verizon, however, Sprint's waivers begin from Nov. 13 until further notice.
"Amid the chaos and devastation, we want to do what we can to show our support and comfort to all," said Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure.
T-Mobile customers will be able to contact their friends and family in France as well, with free calls and texts beginning Friday until Monday, Nov. 16.
Microsoft is playing a similar role by making all domestic and international calls to landlines and mobiles in France free for Skype users. The company doesn't state for how long their initiative will last, however.
Finally, Google is doing the same with Hangouts - users will also be able to contact their family, friends and colleagues through the app for no charge.
Photo: Klearchos Kapoutsis | Flickr
