[APAC-Discuss] WCIT- Disaster Preparedness

Salanieta T. Tamanikaiwaimaro salanieta.tamanikaiwaimaro at gmail.com
Wed Dec 12 07:40:59 UTC 2012


FYI



 *Telecommunications saves lives: WCIT-12 aims to update Article 5 of the
ITR’s*

December 7, 2012 · by itu4u <http://itu4u.wordpress.com/author/itu4u/> · in
WCIT-12 <http://itu4u.wordpress.com/category/wcit-12/> ****

[image: Description: emergency
telecoms]<http://itu4u.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/emergency-telecoms2.jpg>Disasters
can happen anywhere and at any time and strike usually with little warning.
****

They disrupt national economies, severely weaken the poor and vulnerable
and are recognized as major impediments to sustainable development and
reduction of poverty especially in poor countries.****

The impact is even worse for those living in remote and isolated areas with
no access to basic information and communication facilities that are
essential to providing vital alerting information.****

At the World Conference on International
Telecommunications<http://www.itu.int/en/wcit-12/Pages/default.aspx>(
#WCIT12 <https://twitter.com/search?q=%23wcit12&src=typd>) currently taking
place in Dubai, the updating of Article
5<http://www.itu.int/osg/csd/wtpf/wtpf2009/documents/ITU_ITRs_88.pdf>of
the International
Telecommunication Regulations <http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/itr/> (ITR’s) seeks
to mitigate the impact of disasters, provide timely dissemination of
authoritative information before, during, and after disasters.****

Article 5 of the ITR’s refers to the Safety of Life and Priority of
Telecommunications<http://www.itu.int/osg/csd/wtpf/wtpf2009/documents/ITU_ITRs_88.pdf>.
The existing ITR’s established in 1988, include three regulations. The
proposed new ITR’s which are being discussed at WCIT-12 include an
additional three new regulations. These include;****

   - 5.1 – safety of life telecommunications ****
   - 5.2 – government telecommunications ****
   - 5.3 – priority of other telecommunications ****
   - *New 5.4 – application of ITU-T Recommendations *****
   - *New 5.5 – single emergency number *****
   - *New 5.6 – informing subscribers of emergency number* ****

These new Regulations recognize the absolute priority for safety of life
telecommunications, including distress telecommunications, emergency
telecommunications services and telecommunications for disaster relief as
provided in Article 5 of the ITR’s.****

A special category of telecommunications with absolute priority for the
transmission and reception of information relating to safety of life at
sea, on land, in the air or in space, and of information of exceptional
urgency concerning an epidemiological or epizootic situation which could be
issued by the World Health Organization has also been discussed at WCIT-12.*
***

All 193 Member States<http://www.itu.int/cgi-bin/htsh/mm/scripts/mm.list?_search=ITUstates&_languageid=1>who
are in attendance at WCIT-12 have also agreed to adopt policies to
ensure that safety of life telecommunications, such as distress
telecommunications, shall be entitled to transmission as of right and shall
– where technically practicable – have absolute priority over all other
telecommunications, in accordance with the relevant
Articles<http://www.itu.int/en/wcit-12/Documents/draft-future-itrs-public.pdf>of
the Constitution
and Convention<http://www.itu.int/en/history/Pages/ConstitutionAndConvention.aspx>and
taking due account of relevant ITU
Recommendations <http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/publications/Pages/recs.aspx>.*
***

Emergency telecommunications<http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/emergencytelecoms/response/index.html>and
priority calls play a strategic role in ensuring global
interconnection
and interoperability of telecommunications networks for monitoring and
management at the onset and during emergency and disaster situations.****

The introduction of a global emergency number – should it be agreed – would
also bring enormous convenience for tourists and travelers in urgent need
of help.****

They also play a fundamental role in ensuring that relief workers and
communities affected by disasters can get communication lines when they
need to, whether using traditional or next generation communications
networks.****

The updating of Article 5 of the ITR’s which are currently being discussed
at WCT-12 will play a tangible role in saving lives and assisting in the
readiness and recovery process once disasters strike.****

For more information on the critical role emergency telecommunication
facilitates around the world and the work of
ITU-D<http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Pages/default.aspx>,
please visit www.itu.int/itu-d/emergencytelecoms****

** **




-- 
Salanieta Tamanikaiwaimaro aka Sala
P.O. Box 17862
Suva
Fiji

Twitter: @SalanietaT
Skype:Salanieta.Tamanikaiwaimaro
Tel: +679 3544828
Fiji Cell: +679 998 2851


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