Australian telco Vodafone is offering free calls to the earthquake-affected parts of Turkey and Syria for the next week, as loved ones attempt to speak to family and friends caught up in the disaster.
From February 10 until 11.59pm on February 16, free mobile standard international calls for post-paid and pre-paid Vodafone customers will be available to both countries.
The quake is already accounted the world’s deadliest since at least 2015, with the death toll today approaching 12,000.
Four Australians are believed to be caught up in the disaster zone, along with friends, relatives and loved ones for Australians of Turkish and Syrian heritage.
“Our thoughts are with the people of Türkiye (Turkey) and Syria, their families and communities in Australia and around the world,” Vodafone general manager products and devices Arthur Panos said.
“We hope this small gesture of free calls can help our customers reconnect and support their loved ones in these challenging times.”
Potential infrastructure damage in the region could affect telecommunication services in the region, Vodafone advised in a release.
If customers experience any issues connecting with friends and family in Turkey and Syria, they may need to retry calling multiple times to successfully connect.
Premium calls, premium SMS, SMS, MMS, video calls, calls to satellite phones, and international roaming in Turkey and Syria will not be free.
