ITU activities related to
disaster management and
early warning
Richard Hill
Counsellor, ITU-T Study Groups 2 and 3
CAP Implementers Workshop , Geneva, 9, 10 December 2008
Outline
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Introduction
Radiocommunication Sector
Telecommunication Standardization
Sector
Telecommunication Development
Sector
Future work
Conclusion
Introduction
ITU Overview
191 Member States
ITU
+700 Sector Members
Helping the World Communicate
ITU-D
ITU-T
Assisting implementation
and operation of
telecommunications in
developing countries
Telecommunication
standardization of
network and service
aspects
ITU-R
Radiocommunication
standardization and
global radio spectrum
management
Role of ITU in TDR/ETS/EWS
 In five 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…)
 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
 Plenipotentiary Conference Resolution 136
– “Use of telecommunications/ICTs for monitoring and
management in emergency & disaster situations for early
warning, prevention, mitigation and relief ”
ITU’s role in Disaster Reduction (1)
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Prediction and detection - using radio-based
remote sensing systems
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
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All types of networks
ITU’s role in Disaster Reduction (2)
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Preparedness
– Radio spectrum to be used for relief
operations
– Standards for public telecommunication
services
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International emergency for preference
scheme for disaster relief
Message broadcast
– Global network security
– Interoperability of telecom networks
ITU’s role in Disaster Reduction (3)
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Response
– Appropriate project management
techniques
– Legal and regulatory issues (Tampere +
GSR)
– 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:
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Citizen to citizen
Authority to authority
Authority to citizen
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?
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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
Radiocommunications
Disaster phases and
the radio services involved
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Disaster prediction and detection –
meteorological and Earth exploration
satellite services
Disaster alerting – broadcasting, fixed,
mobile and related satellite services
Disaster relief – Amateur, broadcasting,
fixed, mobile and related satellite services
Disaster prediction and detection
Meteorological and Earth exploration
satellite services
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Operated in the main by government and
international agencies
Play a major role in prediction and
detection of disasters (such as hurricanes,
earthquakes and tsunamis, floods, fires,
dangerous pollution, etc.)
Disaster alerting
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Alert the central/regional/local authorities
responsible for warning the public –
broadcasting, fixed, mobile, fixed/mobilesatellite systems
Issue warnings to the people likely to be
affected
– Broadcasting (sound and television)
– Mobile (such as TV, Radio, SMS / Cell
broadcasting)
Disaster relief
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Amateur – a long history of aiding with
communications during disasters
Earth exploration satellite – damage
assessment and relief planning
Fixed/mobile satellite - to rapidly restore
communications capabilities, coordination
of relief activities
Fixed – transportable, higher capacity point-to-point and local area
Mobile – coordination of relief activities,
both private and public systems used
Resolution 646 (WRC-03)
Recommends use of regionally harmonized bands :
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Region 1: 380-470 MHz as the frequency range
within which the band 380-385/390-395 MHz is a
preferred core harmonized band for permanent
public protection activities within certain
countries of Region 1;
Region 2: 746-806 MHz, 806-869 MHz, 4 9404 990 MHz;
Region 3: 406.1-430 MHz, 440-470 MHz, 806824/851-869 MHz, 4 940-4 990 MHz and 5 8505 925 MHz.
Encourages administrations to facilitate crossborder circulation of radio equipment intended for
use in disaster relief situations
160° 140° 120° 100° 80° 60° 40°
20°
C
0°
B
20° 40° 60° 80° 100° 120° 140° 160° 180°
170°
170°
ITU Regions
A
75°
75°
60°
60°
REGION 1
REGION 2
40°
30°
20°
40°
30°
20°
0°
0°
20°
30°
40°
20°
30°
40°
REGION 3
C
170°
60°
160° 140° 120° 100° 80° 60° 40°
B
20°
A
0°
60°
20° 40° 60° 80° 100° 120° 140° 160° 180°
5-01
170°
REGION 3
Resolution 647 (WRC-07)
NEW!
Spectrum management guidelines for emergency
and disaster relief radiocommunication
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Places emphasis on preparedness concerning
spectrum needs in the phase immediately
after an emergency has started
Encourages administrations to maintain
available frequencies for use in the very early
stages of humanitarian assistance intervention
for disaster relief
Instructs ITU-BR to assist Member States with
their emergency communication preparedness
activities by establishing & maintaining a
database of currently available frequencies for
use in emergency situations
RA-07 Resolution ITU-R 53
Use of radiocommunications in disaster
response and relief
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Assistance to ITU Member States with their
emergency radiocommunication
preparedness activities
– E.g. listing of currently available frequencies for
use in emergency situations for inclusion in a
database maintained by BR
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Assist other international organizations
(e.g. OCHA, WGET, IMO) with the
development and dissemination of standard
operating procedures for spectrum
management in the event of disasters
RA-07 Resolution ITU-R 55
ITU studies of disaster prediction, detection,
mitigation and relief
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It identifies areas that ITU-R Study
Groups could address in their
studies/activities and develop guidelines
related to the management of radiocoms
in disaster prediction, detection, mitigation
and relief
This is to be done collaboratively within &
outside ITU to avoid duplication
Status of studies (samples)
Early-warning systems
 Recommendation ITU-R BO.1774
“Use of satellite and terrestrial broadcast
infrastructures for public warning, disaster
mitigation and relief”
 Recommendation ITU-R S.1001
“Use of systems in the fixed-satellite service in the
event of natural disasters and similar emergencies
for warning and relief operations”
Global circulation of equipment
 Recommendation ITU-R M.1637
“Global cross-border circulation of
radiocommunication equipment in emergency and
disaster relief situations”
 Recommendation ITU-R M.1579
“Global circulation of IMT-2000 terminals”
– Recognize the importance of the needs of
organizations dealing with disaster relief
Status of studies – needs of future
systems
Report ITU-R M.2033
“Radiocommunication objectives and
requirements for public protection and
disaster relief (PPDR)”
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Defines objectives and needs for the
implementation of future PPDR solutions
Focuses on operational needs around 2010
Status of studies – Amateur
involvement
Recommendation ITU-R M.1042-2
“Disaster communications in the amateur
and amateur-satellite services”
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Encourages the development of robust,
flexible and independent amateur service
and amateur-satellite service networks,
capable of providing communications
during disasters and relief operations
Telecommunication Standardization
ITU-T work on TDR/EW [1]
All ITU-T Recommendations are now publicly
accessible for free at:
http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/publications/recs.html
 Installation techniques for a sturdy outside plant
(Handbook and L-series Recommendations)
 X.1303: Common altering protocol based on
OASIS CAP v1.1
 E.106: Call preference scheme over the PSTN
– Support of E.106 in various ITU-defined systems
 E.107: Emergency telecommunications service
(ETS) and interconnection framework for national
implementations
 Discussion on extension of the preference scheme
to packet technologies (IP in particular)
– Creation of work items in the technical committees
(“Study Groups”)
ITU-T work on TDR/EW [2]
 Preference scheme defined for two families of IPbased systems standardized by ITU:
– H.323 Multimedia & VoIP (ITU-T H.460.4 & H.460.14)
– IP-Cablecom (ITU-T J.260)
 Overview of the basic requirements, features, and
concepts for emergency telecoms for NGN (ITU-T
Y.1271)
 Definition of a E.164 special country code for
emergency communications under the
responsibility of the UN
 Guidelines to select Emergency Number for public
telecommunications networks (E.161.1)
 Action Plan for Standardization on TDR/EW
 ITU Compendium on Emergency Communications:
Volume with all applicable ITU-T
Recommendations
 Workshops: 2002 (ETS), 2006 (Public warning)
PCP-TDR *
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Coordination role:
– Monitor the progress of technical standardization for
telecommunications for disaster relief & early warning
– Address coordination issues between the partners
– Develop and maintain contact with entities not traditionally
involved in standards development
– Promote the adoption of existing standards
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Participation open to all key players:
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standards development organizations,
international telecommunication service providers,
related government departments,
disaster relief organizations and
other entities working in the field
*
Partnership Coordination Panel on Telecommunication for Disaster Relief and Mitigation
In Case of Emergency
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How to find out who to call if a
person is injured or sick?
If they have a mobile phone, look at
the contact list.
But there should be a multi-lingual
way to see who to call.
Amendment 1 to ITU-T Rec. E.123
provides this (approved Sep.2008).
Contents of mobile handset
directory (example)
Contact name
Phone number
01home
+41 22 123 4567
02husband
+41 79 123 4567
Telecommunication Development
Sector
Overview
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Emergency telecommunications is an
integral part of BDT projects integrating
telecommunications/information and
communication technology in disaster
predication, detection, and alerting.
Four principles:
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Multi-hazard
Multi-technology
Multi-phased and
Multi-stakeholder
Key activities (1/2)
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Assisting countries to formulate policy and draft
appropriate laws and regulations
Designing National Emergency
Telecommunications Plans and formulating
Standard Operating Procedures that are now
used by countries
Deploying of telecommunication resources such
as broadband satellite terminals for basic voice
communications and telemedicine
Training/capacity building for relevant institutions
Formulation of climate change adaptation
strategies
Forging stakeholder partnerships as a form of
resource mobilization, etc
Key Activities (2/2)
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ICT Project management (Ensuring
Disaster Resilience)
Training and capacity building (Emergency
Telecommunications)
Development of manuals, handbooks, etc.
Telecommunications Infrastructure
Reconstruction
Develop Appropriate Regulatory Regime
(Licensing for Disaster etc)
Links
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Global Forum on Effective Use of
Telecommunications /
ICT for Disaster Management: Saving Lives,
Geneva, December 2007:
http://itu.int/ITU-D/emergencytelecoms/events/global_forum
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Emergency Telecoms Newslog:
http://itu.int/ITU-D/emt/newsroom
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Emergency Telecommunications Program
main page:
http://itu.int/ITU-D/emergencytelecoms
Recent events where CAP was
discussed
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Training Workshop on Disaster Management
including the Integration of Emergency
Telecommunications Plans into Disaster
Management Plans
(Kigali, Rwanda, 9-11 July 2008)
ITU Southern and Eastern Africa Workshop on the
Use of Telecommunications/ICT for Disaster
Management: Saving Lives
(Lusaka, Zambia, 17–18 July 2008)
For more information, see:
http://itu.int/ITUD/emergencytelecoms/events.html
Future work
Ongoing Telecom Development work
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Provide expertise as required to plan
and deploy systems (including CAP)
Specific projects
Develop documentation, best
practices, etc.
Training and capacity building
Ongoing standardization work
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Add-ons to existing system specifications:
– System override for emergency message broadcast:
audio, audiovisual, text
– Extension of short text messaging to fixed telephones
(circuit-switched and IP/soft-phones)
– Definition of methods to address multiple languages and
communication for persons with disabilities, in particular
for IP-based systems
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Framework for interconnection of priority
schemes across the different systems (PSTN and
different IP platforms, e.g. H.323, IP-Cablecom,
SIP) and across proprietary/ privileged systems
Definition of pre-allocated “channel” number for
3G mobile cell broadcast use
Conclusion
Conclusions
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ITU has historically played an important role in
communications for disaster prevention and
mitigation
Work already has been done in certain areas in the
radiocommunication and standardization sectors for
existing systems as well as future systems (such as
NGN) … but much more can be done.
– For the work to progress: study groups need to receive
proposals from the ITU members!
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For the way forward:
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Understand users requirements
Identify the regulatory framework
Develop a set of global and compatible Standards
Cost aspects
Evolutionary approach
Respect national sovereignty
Partnership between Member States, private sector,
Government Agencies, and NGOs
Participate! (next slide for web resources)
Web resources
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Main ITU emergency telecoms page
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ITU-D emergency telecommunications page
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ITU-R emergency radiocommunications page
 www.itu.int/emergencytelecoms
 www.itu.int/ITU-D/emergencytelecoms
 http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/index.asp?category=information&rlink=emergency&lang=en
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ITU-T emergency telecoms page
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Partnership Coordination Panel on TDR/EW
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Radiocommunication Assembly 2007 Resolutions
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Tampere Convention
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ISDR Platform for Promotion of EW
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ITU-T Recommendations
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ITU-R Recommendations
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ITU-T Workshops
 www.itu.int/ITU-T/emergencytelecoms/
 www.itu.int/ITU-T/special-projects/pcptdr/
 www.itu.int/publ/R-RES
 http://www.reliefweb.int/telecoms/tampere/
 http://www.unisdr.org/ppew/
 www.itu.int/ITU-T/publications/recs.html  New! Free online!
 http://www.itu.int/publ/R-REC/en
 http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/worksem
Thank you
Richard Hill
Counsellor, ITU-T Study Groups 2 and 3
richard.hill@itu.int