Wireless Carriers Prepared For Hurricane GustavWireless Carriers Prepared For Hurricane Gustav

While Hurricane Gustav has brought down some cell phone services, the problem is nowhere near as bad as it was during Hurricane Katrina three years ago.

AT&T said the company's wireless and wireline networks have been affected by the high wind and rain, but the majority of sites are functional. Most of the cell sites that are down are due to power outages, the company said.

Verizon Wireless estimated that less than 1% of its cell towers in the area were down, mainly because of power issues. Representatives from Sprint and T-Mobile also said power was the most pressing issue affecting the networks.

All of the major mobile carriers took steps before the storm hit Monday to ensure there wouldn't be a repeat of the communications disaster that occurred during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Verizon Wireless said it has spent more than $137 million in the Gulf Coast region this year to strengthen and enhance its wireless network. Sprint spent $59 million specifically for hurricane preparation in storm-prone communities, including installing permanent generators for cell towers and investing in mobile cell sites that can be rapidly deployed.

T-Mobile also said it took steps to ensure its network would remain up, or could be quickly fixed.

Additionally, AT&T announced Tuesday it would provide at least 2,000 of its pre-paid GoPhone handsets with $15 of air times to residents who were ordered to evacuate their homes due to Hurricane Gustav. The company is also enabling free Wi-Fi hotspots in hundreds of spots in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.

"In times of crisis, the ability to connect with family and friends is a necessity and, at the same time, comforting," said Chris Penrose, VP and general manager for AT&T's wireless unit in south Texas, in a statement. "Hopefully, this offer will allow many of those forced from their homes by Hurricane Gustav to take care of critical needs or simply reconnect with loved ones."

The carriers are also advising customers in the storm's path to use text messages to communicate if possible, as there's a greater success rate in getting through the network during high-usage periods versus voice calls. Wireless users in the path of the storm are also encouraged to keep a spare charged battery on hand, and to try and keep the handset as dry as possible.