Utility, internet companies suspend disconnections amid coronavirus outbreak

Companies, large and small, across the nation are stepping up to help bring some relief to Americans as the economic impacts of the coronavirus outbreak grows.

From utility to energy to internet companies, many are suspending service disconnections for non-payment, waiving late fees and providing free services.

Last week, utility companies across the Carolinas announced that water services would not be disconnected due to non-payment and accounts that were currently suspended, would be reinstated.

Here’s how companies servicing Charlotte and surrounding areas are taking action:

Utility/Energy

Duke Energy

Duke Energy will not disconnect any customer’s service for non-payment, including home and business accounts.

Piedmont Natural Gas

Piedmont Natural Gas is suspending disconnections for nonpayment on all home and business accounts in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Dominion Energy

Dominion Energy, the natural gas provider for Gastonia, Concord, Iredell, Kannapolis and nearby areas is suspending disconnections.

EnergyUnited

EnergyUnited will not disconnect service to any accounts of their electric members or propane customers due to non-payment through the end of March.

Phone/Internet

Comcast

Comcast is offering free Xfinity WiFi hotspots to anyone across the country – including non-Xfinity Internet subscribers, 60 days of unlimited data at no additional charge for current customers and no late fees or disconnects to internet services, as long as the customer contacts them and inform them of their situation.

CenturyLink

CenturyLink is waiving late fees, suspending disconnections on residential and small business accounts and suspending data usage limits for consumer customers.

Spectrum

Spectrum is suspending late fees and terminations on residential or small business accounts due to nonpayment for 60 days. Spectrum is also offer new customers who don’t have Spectrum internet two free months of internet and WiFi.

AT&T

AT&T is suspending disconnections due to non-payments, waiving related late fees and providing all consumer home internet wireline customers with unlimited data.

Verizon

Verizon is waiving late fees until May 16 and will not terminate service to customers impacted by the Coronavirus outbreak. Verizon is also offering free international calling to countries identified by the Center for Disease Control as level 3 impacted by the coronavirus.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile is offering all current T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers 60 days of unlimited smartphone data and an additional 20GB of mobile hotspot/tethering service.

Comporium

Comporium is offering 60 days of free standard HIS service and free installation to any home that is the primary home of a K-12, college or graduate student, currently without Comporium internet service, and hasn’t had internet service with them for the past 90 days or located where Comporium would normally provide Internet Service

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