Three companies have communication initiatives with Japan

Three communications companies have launched initiatives designed to help locals with ties to Japan communicate more easily with loved ones and associates in the aftermath of that country's massive earthquake and tsunami on Friday.

Cox Communications of Las Vegas and Verizon Wireless are offering free phone service to Japan.

Calls placed to Japan through Cox Digital Telephone will be free through March 31. The program, which is retroactive to Friday, includes calls to both land lines and cell phones dialed to country code 81. The free calls happen automatically for residential customers with Cox Long Distance.

For post-paid customers, or customers who receive a monthly bill, Verizon is making calls to Japan free through April 10. Customers with Verizon World Plan can call Japan without using any minutes from their time-allotment blocks. Verizon is also waiving charges on calls to Japan for customers using the company's prepaid phone cards.

Cox has also made TV Japan available for cable customers in Southern Nevada who buy Cox Advanced TV access. TV Japan, a 24-hour news channel, began airing for free on Friday and will continue airing free of charge until March 31.

Verizon is providing customers of its FiOS TV service free access to TV Japan through Thursday, and CenturyLink is providing its PRISM TV customers with free access to TV Japan for the next 30 days.