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Télécoms Sans Frontières

Télécoms Sans Frontières. TSF: The Leading NGO Specializing In Emergency Telecommunications. Rapid response telecommunications centers Civilian calling program Long-Term Emergency and Emergency Prevention. The Challenge: Saving lives after a disaster.

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Télécoms Sans Frontières

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  1. Télécoms Sans Frontières

  2. TSF: The Leading NGO SpecializingIn Emergency Telecommunications • Rapid response telecommunications centers • Civilian calling program • Long-Term Emergency and Emergency Prevention

  3. The Challenge:Savinglivesafter a disaster • Telecom is essential for core humanitarian response activities: logistics, advocacy, security • Telecom failures undermine response • Major switches/routers serving the region often damaged • Cell towers may survive, but suffer from overload and dependence on damaged wired infrastructure for backhaul • Existing networks even if they survive may not be optimized for services needed at site • Significant increase in mobile phone traffic needs to be served • First responders need access to data services

  4. Our goal: to provide telecommunications services essential for the effective functioning of the humanitarian community in emergencies

  5. Preperation before the emergency: • Framework for UN/Private sector operational collaboration • Agreements with OCHA and UNICEF • Agreement with Vodafone, Inmarsat, Ericcson, AT&T, C&W, PCCW… • Rapid response with predictable service deliverables and timeframes • Pre-positioned resources (staff, equipment, volunteers)

  6. Top-class equipment: • Portable satellite equipment • Easy to deploy and very reliable • Worldwide coverage • Open source solutions to share the access • Open source based wireless access point • Customized secure & control access • Future projects • WiFi mesh netorks to easily and quickly extend a wireless network • Voice over IP

  7. The Challenge:Communications after the tsunami • No road access to Meulaboh (100Kms south of Banda Aceh) • TSF arrived by helicopter from Banda Aceh • When TSF arrived, only 10 NGOs plus Indonesian Army present, no UN • No GSM, no internet Meulaboh Sumatra

  8. The Challenge:Communications after the tsunami • TSF provided internet and satphone facilities for 1,5 months • Communication facilities used for: • Data sharing, needs assessment and transmission between field crews and headquarters • Mobilizing resources (funding process) • Coordinating rescue teams in the field • Advocating re crisis needs via transmission of pictures and reports • Ensuring security rules compliance for staff

  9. The Challenge: Food Instability in Niger • Niger is ranked 174th out of 177 nations on the UNDP development index. • Recurrent drought leads to almost permanent food insecurity. • Less than 12% of the drought-risk territory is cultivable .

  10. Telecom and Food in Niger • Initial emergency deployment: • 2005 food crisis. • 3,000,000 people affected. • TSF supported the local and international relief effort of 30 agencies

  11. A Communications Challenge • With adequate notice and data, government and aid agencies can more effectively act to avoid or address a food crisis in Niger. • Niger’s SAP-powered “Early Warning System:” Data collection and assimilation to empower decision makers. • 2005 crisis: No telecom and severe difficulties. • Data on livestock and on agricultural revenues not arriving in time for early warning. Data collected on paper and sent by road, could take weeks or months.

  12. Better Telecom AllowsBetter Decision Making • Request for a Long-Term TSF Mission: • Support the National Food Crisis Prevention System. • Build remote telecom centers. • Provide technical support services. • Develop software to enhance the system.

  13. The Long-Term Mission • TSF’s initial efforts to support the system led to the European Commission Humanitarian Office (ECHO) funding TSF to stay. • Installed in 12 pilot regions in Niger in 2006. • Extended to 25 regions in 2007. • Extended to 37 regions protecting more than 14 million vulnerable people by 2008.

  14. The Long-Term Mission • Now, instead of on paper, early-warning food data is sent digitally. • Detailed information on livestock and data from agricultural markets reaches decision makers instantly. • 700,000 people benefit from this early warning system. • All sites in “uncommunicative areas:” no GSM, no landline, no internet, hardly any radio.

  15. Somewhat Tedious Details • Local government staff gather data in collaboration with agricultural and livestock markets SIMA (Système d’Information des Marchés Agricoles) and SIMB (Système d’Information des Marchés du Bétail). • Data derived from local markets all around the country. Each telecom center covers preselected villages, and therefore markets as well. • At each satellite terminal, there is a computer connected to a small data transmitter that then sends the agricultural information to the capital. • Total monthly satellite communications cost: $100. TSF trains local staff and leaves the equipment, and then turns the system over to the local staff, providing maintenance and support from a central location.

  16. Thanks • Thanks to the World Bank for inviting us. • Thanks to ECHO and the IT Cup Football Tournament for support in Niger and to our many corporate and foundation partners.

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