This summer has come with cold stormy weather that has damaged the property of many families and households. This damage caused by this natural disaster is now being repaired throughout the Czech Republic and it is important for most of those who have suffered due to the storms to be able to communicate with their families as well as municipal and state offices and other firms. For this reason Telefónica O2 has decided to help accommodate the needs of those affected by the harsh weather.
"Every natural catastrophe that strikes people's lives brings with it several problems and changes to priorities in life. This year's floods affected many individuals and families and caused a great deal of damage," says Jan Karas, Director of Marketing, Residential Segment, Telefónica O2, adding, "Many residents in areas that were hit hard by the floods have to deal with several problematic, as well as banal, matters, such as getting new phones, replacing water-damaged SIM cards, and paying their bills. For this reason we have decided to offer flood victims individual help and assist them the way we know how - through communications technologies."< /em>
During the first days of the floods, Telefónica O2 reacted and announced an employee collection fund. Nine hundred and nine of the operator's employees donated a total of CZK 460 thousand. O2 increased this amount to one million crowns and donated it to Člověk v tísni (People in Need), which is using it to rebuild heavily damaged elementary and nursery schools in the Nový Jičín region.
For residents who have been affected by the floods, special programs that offer immediate solutions to the ongoing situation have been prepared. The first of this is the opportunity to get new SIM cards free of charge with the same phone number as before, a discount worth CZK 1,000 on the purchase of a new mobile or fixed-line phone, an ADSL connection, ISDN modem, or a set-top box for O2 TV.
Those interested also have the opportunity to get a CZK 500 discount on a new Nokia 1661 mobile phone (CZK 495 after the discount) or Motorola W230 (CZK 695 after the discount) in order to be able to make calls as soon as possible. In addition to this, they can arrange, on an individual basis, a deferral of payment for fixed and mobile services with a signed agreement of up to a quarter of a year. Obligations towards existing debts will also be frozen and, when necessary, involve the reactivation of numbers in cases where services have been put on hold due to failure to comply with commitments.
With regards to the fact that people affected by this natural disaster most likely have a stronger need to communicate, O2 is offering them a 50% discount on calls from mobile phones within the Czech Republic for their next two billing periods. Prepaid card users can get CZK 100 additional credit for a period of six months.
Customers can request the above-mentioned assistance at the operator's brand stores up to one month following the occurrence of damages, or until the end of September if damages were cause before August 17. Changing payment due dates can be done by calling the toll-free customer care line at 800 123 456, where customers can also get other information. In order to claim benefits, it is necessary to present an identification document (or substitute document) and any document that provides evidence that the customer's property was damaged significantly by a natural disaster. This can be, for instance, a document for the provision of immediate emergency financial assistance, protocol for insurance claims, confirmation from a municipal or public office, or any other document that confirms the fact that the applicant was significantly affected by a natural disaster.