GTE weathers fury of Hurricane Floyd. Local and data networks keep customers connected before and during storm.
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IRVING, Texas —
Despite Hurricane Floyd's powerful winds and torrential rains, GTE phone service in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia continues to operate without major disruption.
GTE provides local telephone and data service to more than 1.5 million customers in the three states including Myrtle Beach, S. C.; Raleigh and Durham, N.C.; Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Manassas, Va., plus parts of eastern Virginia south of Richmond.
GTE began preparing for Hurricane Floyd early this week by pre-positioning more than 210 emergency generators and fuel, as well as extra supplies, equipment and personnel at key locations. Generators maintain dial tone even if power outages occur.
In 1996, during Hurricane Fran, 90 percent of GTE's Durham, N.C.-area customers experienced no interruption in their phone service.
GTE Network Operations Center In Texas Monitors 25 Million Lines
GTE monitors its local network of 25 million customer access lines from its Network Operations Center adjacent to the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in Irving, Texas.
During emergencies, GTE activates a command center to bring special focus to the needs of an area involved in a disaster. GTE's nationwide data network is monitored from a Network Operations Center in Burlington, Mass. Working in tandem, the centralized monitoring stations work closely with the local emergency offices to keep the company's network running seamlessly and reroute calls as necessary to keep customers connected.
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About GTE
With 1998 revenues of more than $25 billion, GTE is one of the world's largest telecommunications companies and a leading provider of integrated telecommunications services. In the United States, GTE provides local service in 28 states and wireless service in 17 states; nationwide long-distance and internetworking services ranging from dial-up Internet access for residential and small-business consumers to Web-based applications for Fortune 500 companies, as well as video service in selected markets. Additional information about GTE can be found at www.gte.com.
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