[LINK] Government Report Recommends NBN Use in Emergencies

[Tom Worthington]

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, 
Senator Stephen Conroy, released the 2011-12 Regional Telecommunications 
Review Report, 23 May 2012: 
http://www.rtirc.gov.au/files/2012/05/Regional_Communications-Empowering_digital_communities.doc

The report includes recommendations for the use of telecommunications, 
including the NBN, following natural disasters. The report also calls 
for work to make the Emergency Alert service more effective on mobile 
phones. Also of note is that the chapter page images are by Mr Robin 
Eckermann.

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     Emergency communications

     The reliability of communications during emergency situations, 
especially mobile communications, is a major concern for people in 
regional areas. Recent natural disasters such as the Victorian bushfires 
and the Queensland floods have highlighted the importance of reliable 
communications.

     There is a concern that many of the communications deficiencies 
which became clear in the aftermath of these disasters remain unresolved.

     The telecommunications industry has a critical role in working with 
emergency service providers to understand how their priorities can be 
met and to ensure adequate communications services and strategies are in 
place.

     Disaster management plans need to include a focus on communications 
and the full range of communication tools which can be used before and 
during a disaster to communicate with people in the affected area.

     There is also a need for effective deployment of temporary 
telecommunications infrastructure in the aftermath of natural disasters. 
This infrastructure is vital to recovery efforts and should be a part of 
all disaster management plans. ...

     2.10 RECOMMENDATION — Major telecommunications providers, such as 
Telstra, Optus and NBN Co, should work with local government emergency 
management planners to identify critical infrastructure priorities and 
communications challenges that could affect local emergency warning 
systems and emergency responses. ...

     2.14 FINDING — The suite of telecommunications tools needed to 
contact people in emergency situations should be a key feature of both 
individual and regional disaster management plans.

     2.15 FINDING — The effectiveness of the Emergency Alert to mobile 
phones initiative is limited by the mobile coverage in an area. Some 
peri-urban residential areas, popular tourist spots and highways do not 
currently have mobile phone coverage. This reinforces the critical 
importance of having a suite of communication tools to convey emergency 
warnings. ...

     From: 2011-12 Regional Telecommunications Review Report, Department 
of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, 23 May 2012: 
http://www.rtirc.gov.au/files/2012/05/Regional_Communications-Empowering_digital_communities.doc
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-- 
Tom Worthington FACS CP, TomW Communications Pty Ltd. t: 0419496150
PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617, Australia  http://www.tomw.net.au
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards
Legislation

Adjunct Lecturer, Research School of Computer Science,
Australian National University http://cs.anu.edu.au/courses/COMP7310/