Tlcoms Sans Frontires

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Télécoms Sans Frontières
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TSF The Leading NGO SpecializingIn Emergency
Telecommunications

• Rapid response telecommunications centers
• Civilian calling program
• Long-Term Emergency and Emergency Prevention

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The ChallengeSaving lives after 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

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

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• Preperation before the emergency
• Framework for UN/Private sector operational
  collaboration
• Agreements with OCHA and UNICEF
• Agreement with Vodafone, Inmarsat, Ericcson,
  ATT, CW, PCCW
• Rapid response with predictable service
  deliverables and timeframes
• Pre-positioned resources (staff, equipment,
  volunteers)

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• 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

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The ChallengeCommunications 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

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The ChallengeCommunications 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

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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 .

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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

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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.
• Nigers 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.

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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.

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The Long-Term Mission

• TSFs 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.

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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.

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Somewhat Tedious Details

• Local government staff gather data in
  collaboration with agricultural and livestock
  markets SIMA (Système dInformation des Marchés
  Agricoles) and SIMB (Système dInformation 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.

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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.