Spectrum Opens Wi-Fi Hotspots Across Los Angeles to Aid Wildfire Survivors

After days of brutal wildfires that have burned tens of thousands of acres in Los Angeles and turned thousands of homes to ash, internet service provider Spectrum is unlocking a number of its Wi-Fi hotspots for anyone to use. They don’t require a login or account creation — just look for the Wi-Fi name on your device and click in.

Spectrum, a regional ISP under Charter Communications, opened up over 35,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in the Los Angeles area for public use. Anyone can look up their nearest hotspot on Spectrum’s website and then connect to the Wi-Fi network called Spectrum Free Trial to get online, as KTLA tech reporter Rich DeMuro noted in a post on X (formerly Twitter). 

Spectrum customers who’ve had equipment damaged or destroyed by the wildfires won’t be charged for damages, the company wrote in a blog post. Those with power but without internet service will get credits until they’re back online, which will be applied for savings on their next bill. 

Read more: Los Angeles Fires: Donations, Relief Efforts and How to Help Fire Victims

Other ISPs and carriers have stepped up to provide extra service while the wildfires rage. T-Mobile and microsatellite network Starlink have temporarily activated their partner service to let customers connect to Starlink’s phone-connecting satellite constellation (which the companies previously switched on to aid relief efforts for Hurricane Helene in the US Southeast, last October). Though still in test mode, this network of microsatellites enables users to send SMS text messages and receive emergency alerts when outside T-Mobile’s network.

Verizon has waived any call, text and data usage fees for prepaid and postpaid customers in counties affected by the wildfires until Jan. 18, while also donating a combined $1 million to the American Red Cross and Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation. AT&T is waiving overage charges for unlimited talk, text and data to Southern California customers through Feb. 15, donating $100,000 to the American Red Cross and matching employee donations to several charities. The carrier also set up a handful of device charging stations for the public as well as deploying assistance to first responders.