alexandre vassiliev itu radiocommunication bureau

ITU Symposium on ICTs and Climate Change Quito, Ecuador, 8-10 July 2009ITU Symposium on ICTs and Climate Change Quito, Ecuador, 8-10 July 2009

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ITU Activities on Emergency ITU Activities on Emergency TelecommunicationsTelecommunications(including disaster (including disaster

detection, early warning and detection, early warning and relief)relief)

Alexandre VASSILIEVAlexandre VASSILIEVITU Radiocommunication BureauITU Radiocommunication Bureau

phone: +41 22 7305924 phone: +41 22 7305924 e-mail: e-mail: alexandre.vassilievalexandre.vassiliev@@itu.intitu.int

mailto:[email protected]



ITU Symposium on ICTs and Climate Change Quito, Ecuador, 8-10 July 2009ITU Symposium on ICTs and Climate Change Quito, Ecuador, 8-10 July 2009

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In 2008, 354 natural disasters were recorded in the EM-DAT database. The death toll was three times higher than the annual average of 66.813 for 2000-2007, mainly caused by two major events: Cyclone Nargis which killed 138.366 people in Myanmar and the Sichuan earthquake in China which caused the deaths of 87.476 people.

In 2008, China (29), the United States (22) and the Philippines (20) were most often hit by natural disasters. These three countries, together with India and Indonesia, have occupied the top ranking of disaster occurrence during the last three years.

ITU Symposium on ICTs and Climate Change Quito, Ecuador, 8-10 July 2009 3

ITU

ITU-TTelecommunication standardization of

networks and service aspects

ITU-RRadiocommunication standardization and global

radio spectrum management

ITU-DAssisting implementation

and operation of telecommunications in developing countries

Committed to Connectingthe World

ITU Overview 191 Member States, 700+ Sector Members and Associates

Plenipotentiary Conference

Radiocommunication Assembly &World Radiocommunication Conference

World Telecommunication

Development Conference

World Telecommunication

Standardization Assembly


Role of ITU in TDR/ETS/EWSIn 5 words, Committed to connecting the world:

even more so in distress situations!Long-time work on telecom for emergency situations

Morse code …(it was a long time ago…) radio was used for the first time for saving the lives of sailors aboard the

battleship General-Admiral Apraksin at the end of 19th century GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System)

Three recent examples Tampere Convention

to facilitate exchange of telecom equipment in disaster relief operations WRC-07: allocated additional spectrum for radiocommunication systems

involved in disaster prediction/detection and emergency communications Standardization work on call priority & alert message delivery


ITU Role in Emergency Telecommunications

Legal basis for Emergency Telecommunications• removing barriers to the deployment of telecommunication

equipment;• providing access to radio spectrum;• providing necessary conditions for operation of radio and

telecommunication systems;Technical basis• developing ITU technical standards for telecommunication

networks, systems and equipment (radio and wired) used ;• developing guidelines for the use of specific systems/equipment

for disaster prediction, detection, and disaster relief;Organizational basis and operations• developing awareness about the use of telecommunications/ICTs

in emergency situation;• assisting Member States as regards emergency

telecommunications needs;• developing guidelines for emergency telecommunication.


ITU’s Role in Disaster Reduction (1)

Prediction and detection - using radio-based remote sensing systems/applications

Mitigation Damage assessment for planning relief

operations Spectrum management Establishment of globally/regionally harmonized

frequency bands Application of terrestrial and space (satellite)

radiocommunication services Global circulation of emergency equipment Support to emergency broadcasting, maritime

and public safety signals• All types of networks



Preparedness Radio spectrum to be used for relief

operations Standards for public telecommunication

services• International emergency for preference

scheme for disaster relief•Message broadcast

Global network security Interoperability of telecom networks



Response Appropriate project management

techniques Legal and regulatory issues (Tampere

Convention + Constitution, Radio Regulations)

Universal access (early warning) Capacity building (preparedness) Relief (response) Reconstruction Partnerships (e.g., INMARSAT, WMO,

WGET, OCHA, IARU)


Scenarios for Emergency Communications

Four communication scenarios:1. Citizen to citizen2. Authority to authority3. Authority to citizen4. Citizen to authority

ITU has worked in scenarios 1, 2 and 3. More work could be done

Could work on scenario 4 (more relevant to day-to-day emergency situations: fire, police, call for medical assistance, etc)


How the work progresses?

ITU’s work is contribution-driven: contributions progress

Governments, users (including intergovernmental agencies and NGOs), manufacturers need to bring in proposals to enhance the features of existing systems

Trend for initial focus to be on improving what already exists, in order to be implementable in a short time-frame

How the work progresses?


Decisions of ITU ForumsDecisions of ITU Forums(Conferences and Assemblies) (Conferences and Assemblies)

Governing ITU Activities Governing ITU Activities Related to Emergency Related to Emergency TelecommunicationsTelecommunications

National laws and regulations can sometimes hamper – or, even prohibit – the transport and use of telecommunication equipment at disaster scenes.


Resolution 36 (Rev.Antalia, 2006) Resolution 36 (Rev.Antalia, 2006) “Telecommunications/information and “Telecommunications/information and communication technology in the service of communication technology in the service of humanitarian assistance”humanitarian assistance”

Resolution 136 (Antalia,2006) “Resolution 136 (Antalia,2006) “Use of Use of telecommunications/ICTs for monitoring and telecommunications/ICTs for monitoring and management in emergency & disaster situations management in emergency & disaster situations for early warning, prevention, for early warning, prevention, mitigation and reliefmitigation and relief ” ”

ITU Treaty Status DecisionsPlenipotentiary Conference 2006


Resolution 646 (WRC-03) “Public protection and disaster Resolution 646 (WRC-03) “Public protection and disaster relief”relief”

WRC-07 decisions:WRC-07 decisions:Extension of spectrum and adoption of protection criteria for Extension of spectrum and adoption of protection criteria for

the services the services involved in disaster management and involved in disaster management and emergency situations.emergency situations.

Several new Resolutions Several new Resolutions requesting studies related to the requesting studies related to the further development of these servicesfurther development of these services..

Modification of parts of the Radio Regulation related to the Modification of parts of the Radio Regulation related to the global maritime distress and safety system (GMDSS).global maritime distress and safety system (GMDSS).

New Resolution 647 “New Resolution 647 “Spectrum management guidelines for Spectrum management guidelines for emergency and disaster relief radiocommunication”.emergency and disaster relief radiocommunication”.

New Resolution 673 “Radiocommunications use for Earth New Resolution 673 “Radiocommunications use for Earth observation applications”observation applications”

ITU Treaty Status Decisions – ITU-RWorld Radiocommunication Conferences


Radiocommunication Assembly 2007

RA-07 adopted 2 new ITU-R Resolutions:• Res. ITU-R 53 “The use of radiocommunications

in disaster response and relief” (see at: http://www.itu.int/publ/R-RES-R.53/en)

• Res. ITU-R 55 “ITU studies of disaster prediction, detection, mitigation and relief” (see at: http://www.itu.int/publ/R-RES-R.55/en)

http://www.itu.int/publ/R-RES-R.53/en

http://www.itu.int/publ/R-RES-R.55/en


ITU Documents Providing Legal Basis for ET – International Treaties

Constitution and Convention and Resolutions (e.g. Res. 36, 98, 136) adopted by the Plenipotentiary Conference;

Radio Regulations (e.g. Chapter 7 “Distress and safety communications” and Resolutions of World Radiocommunication Conferences (e.g. Res. 644, 646, 647, etc.);


Developing the Technical Basis Developing the Technical Basis for Emergency for Emergency

Telecommunications Telecommunications (Recommendations, Reports, (Recommendations, Reports,

Handbooks, Guidelines)Handbooks, Guidelines)The ITU global standards (ITU term The ITU global standards (ITU term Recommendations) play a vital role in Recommendations) play a vital role in ensuring an effective emergency ensuring an effective emergency response in times of crisis.response in times of crisis.


Some ITU Recommendations on ET (1)

• Rec. ITU-T X.1303 “Common alerting protocol (CAP 1.1)” – a global standard for simple structured exchange of alerting messages (also accepted by WMO);

• Rec. ITU-T H.248.44 “Gateway control protocol: Multi-level precedence and pre-emption package”;

• Rec. ITU-T H.460.4 “Call priority designation and country/international network of call origination identification for H.323 priority calls”;

• Extension of support for Rec. ITU-T E.106 IEPS in various signalling protocols (BICC, SS7, etc);

• Rec. ITU-R BO./BT.1774-1 “Use of satellite and terrestrial broadcast infrastructures for public warning, disaster mitigation and relief”;

• Rec. ITU-R M.1042-3 “Disaster communications in the amateur and amateur-satellite services”;


Some ITU Recommendations on ET (2)

• Rec. ITU-R M.1042-3 “Disaster communications in the amateur and amateur-satellite services”;

• Rec. ITU-R M.1826 “Harmonized frequency channel plan for broadband public protection and disaster relief operations at 4 940-4 990 MHz in Regions 2 and 3”;

• Rec. ITU-R RS.1803, RS.1804 related to development and use of Earth exploration-satellite systems employed for environment including disaster monitoring.


Some ITU Reports/Handbooks• Handbook on Emergency Telecommunications (ITU-D) plus

special supplements “Emergency and Disaster relief” (ITU-R) • Manual for Use by the Maritime Mobile and Maritime Mobile-

Satellite Services (ITU-R).• Report ITU-R M.2033 “Radiocommunication objectives and

requirements for Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR)”• ITU Handbook on Best Practice on Emergency

Telecommunications (based on studies in 12 countries) (ITU-D).• Compendium of ITU’s Work in Emergency

Telecommunications (covers work of all ITU Sectors ITU-D, ITU-R, ITU-T).


Organizational Basis and Operations


Meetings on Emergency TelecommunicationsITU regularly organizes forums/seminar/workshops related to

emergency telecommunications. It is being done by ITU-D in cooperation with other Sectors and host region/country. Few samples of events held in 2009:

• “Using ICT for Effective Disaster Management Pacific forum”, Apia, Samoa (7-9 July, 2009) ;

• Workshop on Use of Telecommunications/ ICTs for Disaster Management: Saving lives, Harare, Zimbabwe (17 - 18 June, 2009)

• Joint ITU – Greece (Ministry of transport and communications) Workshop on Emergency Telecommunications, Greece (8 April 2009);

• Workshop on Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Disaster Management, Dakar, Senegal (10 - 12 March, 2009) ;

• ITU Workshop “Emergency Telecommunications for Disaster Management in Maldives: Developing a National Emergency Telecommunications and Ratification of Tampere Convention”.


Global Forum on Effective Use of Telecommunications/ICT for Disaster Management (1)

In December 2007 ITU organized this Forum attended by representatives from174 governments, 18 international organizations, 27 private sector entities, and 53 non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Global Forum:• adopted ITU Framework for Cooperation in

Emergencies (IFCE);• established High Level Panel and ITU Network of

Volunteers for ET (VET);• adopted Forum Declaration on ICT role in reduction of

natural disasters effects, etc.

See details at: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/emergencytelecoms/events/global_forum/index.html

http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/emergencytelecoms/events/global_forum/index.html







Other ITU Meetings Relevant to Emergency Telecommunications

Three ITU symposia “ICT and Climate Change” organized by ITU-T (in cooperation with other ITU Sectors):

15-16 April 2008, in Kyoto, Japan 17-18 June 2008, in London, United Kingdom8-10 July 2009, in Quito, Ecuador.There were discussions concerning the use of

telecommunications/ICTs for mitigating of negative effects of disasters initiated by climate change.

See details at: http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/worksem/climatechange/index.html

http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/worksem/climatechange/index.html









Practical Assistance

• Using Partnership Agreements with ICO, Inmarsat, Teledeisic, Thuraya, etc., ITU-D (BDT) delivered satellite terminals (providing basic telecommunications and telemedicine applications via satellites) to Bangladesh, Uganda, Peru, etc. for disaster relief operations.

• BR is currently creating a special database of frequencies which could be used in a country for emergency radiocommunications (see at: http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/index.asp?category=information&rlink=res647&lang=en)

• ITU (BDT) provided consultants to undertake the study and prepare projects (including designing National Emergency Telecommunications Plans and formulating Standard Operating Procedures) related to emergency telecommunications to many developing countries.

• ...

http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/index.asp?category=information&rlink=res647&lang=en








Partnering for Humanitarian Work

UN Agencies/UNWGET(UN Working Group on EmergencyTelecommunications)


Conclusion • ITU has historically played an important role in

telecommunications/ICTs for disaster prediction, detection, relief and emergency telecommunications;

• In cooperation with the Member States and the key players in industry ITU is very active in defining technical standards applicable for ET;

• ITU also provides support on demand to the ITU Member States in emergency situations;

• The ITU Deputy Secretary-General Mr. H. Zhao, the Chairman of the Intersectoral Emergency Communications Team (IECT), coordinates all ITU activities related to emergency telecommunications.

See also the main ITU Web on emergency telecommunications at:http://www.itu.int/emergencytelecoms/index.html

http://www.itu.int/emergencytelecoms/index.html




