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New ITU standards enhance satellite communications for emergencies
Saving lives in aftermath of natural disasters is clear objective
Geneva, 10 March 2010 — New ITU
radiocommunication standards for satellite services have been approved to
facilitate early warning, rapid response and relief operations in the event of
natural disasters.
Recommendation ITU-R S.1001-2 provides information on the range of
radio-frequencies that can be used by fixed-satellite service (FSS) systems for
emergency and disaster relief operations.
Recommendation ITU-R M.1854 provides information on the range of
radio-frequencies for mobile-satellite service (MSS) in order to enable a
variety of functions such as voice and data communication; field reporting; data
collection; position information; and image transmission.
In the event of natural disasters, such as the recent earthquakes which
spread devastation in Haiti and Chile, there is an urgent need for a reliable
telecommunication link for use in relief operations. ITU joined international
efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to Haiti, Chile and other
disaster-hit areas and deployed satellite terminals and earth stations to
re-establish basic communication links.
ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Touré noted that in the event of a natural
disaster, satellite communications are the most appropriate means to quickly set
up a telecommunication link with remote facilities. "Establishing communications
in the aftermath of a disaster is vital to facilitate rapid and effective rescue
and rehabilitation efforts," said Dr Touré. "The new ITU radiocommunication
standards for satellite communication in emergencies will greatly improve our
capacity to save lives. I call upon all stakeholders, including administrations,
satellite operators and service providers to support the development of robust,
comprehensive, early warning and relief systems to mitigate emergencies and
disasters at the national, regional and international levels."
Fixed-satellite service (FSS)
Satellite transmissions using small aperture earth stations, such as fixed
VSATs, vehicle-mounted earth stations (VMES) and transportable earth stations,
are one of the most viable solutions to provide emergency telecommunication
services for relief operations. These FSS systems are extremely effective in
providing emergency telecommunication services for relief operations. As they
are inherently suitable for data delivery, FSS can also be effectively utilized
for early warning operations, including earthquakes and storms. In the interest
of efficiency, FSS capabilities for emergencies and disaster relief operations should be pre-planned between
administrations and FSS operators/service providers to ensure prompt
availability of FSS services in the event of a disaster.
Mobile-satellite service (MSS)
Owing to its ease of deployment, wide-area coverage, and independence from
the local telecommunications infrastructure (which may be lost during a
disaster), mobile satellite terminals and ancillary equipment are very effective means of providing
emergency telecommunication services for relief operations. In order to
strengthen disaster preparedness, MSS systems should be deployed ubiquitously,
especially in disaster-prone regions.
Space services frequency database for use in emergency situations
In accordance with Resolution 647 of the World Radiocommunication Conference
2007, the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau has recently created an online database
(at: www.itu.int/ITU-R/space/res647/)
containing the frequencies/frequency bands provided by administrations that are now available for use by
satellite systems in emergency situations.
ITU initiatives
Emergency telecommunications has been one of the key activities of ITU since
its inception. The new ITU standards were developed in accordance with resolutions adopted at the
ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in 2006, the ITU Radiocommunication
Assembly and the World Radiocommunication Conference in 2007.
The ITU Secretary-General appointed a High-Level Panel for Emergency
Telecommunications, which has become a platform for a number of bilateral
partnership agreements to ensure rapid rehabilitation of communication links in
the event of a disaster. In partnership with ITU, several MSS operators have
provided equipment and satellite air-time as valuable assistance in disaster
relief and management.
For more information, please contact:
Sanjay Acharya
Chief, Media Relations and Public Information, ITU
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+41 22 730 5046 |
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+41 79 249 4861 |
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sanjay.acharya@itu.int |
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Grace Petrin
Promotion Officer, ITU Radiocommunication Bureau
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+41 22 730 5810 |
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grace.deangelis-petrin@itu.int |
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