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BASKING RIDGE, NJ, December 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – As the Christmas holidays approach, Verizon is proud to announce its support for the North American Aerospace Defense Command’s Santa Tracking Program ( NORAD) for the 18th consecutive year. NORAD knows all about the importance of Santa’s whereabouts. For more than six decades, NORAD Tracks Santa (NTS) has helped children around the world follow Santa as he and his team of world-class reindeer fly from Sydney, Australia to New York City, and on the go. intermediate.
To help expand support for volunteers who want to help out in a COVID-19 environment, Verizon announced its role in exchanging Apple iPhones preloaded with Verizon’s One Talk Service. One Talk establishes a virtual hotline that allows NTS volunteers to operate as if they were inside the NORAD call center. Short shifts of on-site volunteers at NORAD and off-site volunteers using One Talk technology will begin receiving calls at 6 am on Christmas Eve.
“It is a great source of joy for the Verizon team to volunteer alongside our partners at NORAD to help continue the tradition of tracking the whereabouts of Santa Claus around the world,” said Andres Irlando, Senior Vice President and President of Public Sector and Verizon Connect on Verizon. “For 18 consecutive years, it has been an honor to support NORAD and their mission to help children believe in the magic of Santa Claus and the holiday season.”
Amid the global pandemic, NORAD’s leadership has shown great care in demanding a different approach from the normally lively and densely populated call center, with an emphasis on protecting the health and safety of volunteers. NORAD recently announced shifts that will be open to staff and families within the command, with much smaller groups answering calls compared to previous years. Historically, nearly 1,500 people for more than 20 hours have participated in call center operations, taking more than 154,000 phone calls, beginning at 6 a.m. Eastern time on Christmas Eve.
What do you want to know about Santa?
Verizon employees and other government and corporate partners are proud to once again support NORAD in making this magic possible. While the volunteer infrastructure looks a little different in 2020, children contacting NORAD on December 24 can still ask questions like:
- Where in the world is Santa?
- It’s close to my house?
- Does Santa have to wear a mask?
- What kind of cookies does Santa like?
- Rudolph leading the reindeer this year?
Tools to help you track down Kris Kringle
While there will be small volunteer shifts on-site at NORAD’s physical call center, powered by Apple iPhones powered by Verizon’s One Talk technology, it will be more challenging this year to take calls via the hotline. Callers who are unable to reach a volunteer will receive a recorded update on Santa’s current location.
Here is information about the hotline along with other methods that children and their families are encouraged to use to track Santa:
Phone: The toll-free hotline – 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) – will be operational for calls beginning at 6 a.m. ET on December 24. Program the hotline number on your Verizon phone as “NORAD Call Center”. On Christmas Eve, have your child use voice command to call the NORAD Call Center and enjoy the NORAD Santa Tracker as volunteers do their best to answer your child’s urgent questions.
Internet: On December 24, families can also visit the NORAD Tracks Santa website for tracking information. There you will even find various ‘SantaCams’ on the NORAD Tracks Santa social media pages that capture Santa’s flight across various locations around the world.
To experience magic throughout the day, visit the website www.noradsanta.org on your desktop or mobile device for more fun activities. While Santa is in flight, you can see his whereabouts, play games, learn about Christmas traditions around the world, and delve into how NORAD tracks Santa.
For more information on Santa’s whereabouts, visit https://www.noradsanta.org/ or track through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Be sure to also download the NORAD Tracks Santa mobile app (Apple or Google play).
Verizon Communications Inc. (, VZ) was formed on June 30, 2000 and is celebrating its 20th year as one of the world’s leading providers of technology, communications, information and entertainment products and services. Headquartered in New York City with a worldwide presence, Verizon generated revenue of $ 131.9 billion in 2019. The company offers voice, video and data services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, meeting the customer demand for mobility. reliable network connectivity, security and control.
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Media contact:
Geoffrey basye
[email protected]
(202) 271-1529
@gbasye
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