REPUBLICA KATHMANDU - Domestic telecom companies and Internet service providers claim they are capable of providing emergency backup services during the event of disasters. Speaking at an interaction organized by Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) and Enter Information and Communication Technology Nepal on Monday, operators said they were working toward ensuring timely and effective delivery of the service during the time of natural calamities like flood, landslide and earthquake, among others.
The leading GSM operator, Ncell, said that it was setting up four new data centers as part of its disaster preparedness management project. Sanju Koirala, corporate communication director at Ncell, said data centers will work as complete backup system with redundant data communication connectivity. "We are positive about working together with the government on other aspects to overcome hurdles that are likely to arise during disasters," she added.
Likewise, the state-controlled operator Nepal Telecom (NT) is adding 10 more mobile BTS vans to provide alternative service at times when the main network fails to function. The operator has already brought in three mobile BTS vans and plans to keep a mobile BTS van in every development region.
Along with telecom operators, Internet service providers have also said that they were prepared for disasters.
WiFi service would be very useful during times of disaster as it can be deployed quickly, Binaya Bohara, president of the Internet Service Providers´ Association of Nepal (ISPAN), said during the interaction organized to discuss the contents of the upcoming National Emergency Telecommunication Plan (NETP) for Nepal.
"During times of emergency, information flow should not be interrupted," Aananda Raj Khanal, director of NTA said, informing, a draft of the Plan would soon be prepared and submitted to the Ministry of Information and Communications.
The government is planning to establish emergency telecommunications network to connect Emergency Operation Centers (EOC) and emergency responders in all the regions and districts within next five years.
Presenting a paper at the program, team leader of NETP draft team, SB Wagle, said provision and use of three-digit national emergency number, accessible from any operators´ network, could also help mitigate problems during calamities.
Senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Information and Communications and private sector representatives were also present during the program.