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Mar. 2, 2010

This time, U.S. wireless carriers were quicker to react over the weekend with mobile giving programs after the 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Chile early Saturday. In the case of Haiti's 7.5 earthquake in January, it took them quite a bit longer, reports suggest.

Some of the major U.S. mobile service carriers also mobilized and provisioned short codes for use in mobile giving campaigns to help Chili's earthquake victims.

Jim Manis, chairman and CEO of the Mobile Giving Foundation (MGF), reported over the weekend that the U.S. carriers also eliminated standard rate message charges for relief efforts and continued to process donations for mobile giving campaigns on a 100 percent pass-through basis.

At the same time, several non-profits also implemented mobile giving campaigns for Chile as well.

For World Vision, texters send the word "CHILE" to 20222 to donate $10. They can also text "CHILE" to 52000 to donate $10 on behalf of the Salvation Army.

Manis happened to land in Maui on Friday and reported on the situation just hours after the earthquake. Tsunami warning systems blared with sirens and helicopters cleared the beaches, but fortunately, the Hawaiian islands were safe.

On Feb. 27, Verizon Wireless announced it would waive all calling fees for its customers trying to reach loved ones in Chile.

Sprint also said on Saturday that it was waiving text-messaging fees for Sprint, Nextel, Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA customers who send mobile donations to short codes associated with organizations participating in the relief and recovery efforts.

So far, about $45 million was donated through various non-profit organizations to the relief efforts in Haiti, according to MGF.

The numbers aren't in for Chile of course, but MGF expects to have some figures hopefully for the end of the week.

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Source: The Mobile Giving Foundation.