New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS): Private telecom companies have geared up to provide continuing mobile communication services to public with minimum disruption during the impending Gujarat cyclone.
This includes tracking of people, missing person information, helpline numbers, wi-fi facilities in relief camps along with mobilising temporary Mobile Base Stations (Cell on Wheels - COWs), as the cyclone Nilofar is about to hit the Gujarat coast, a joint statement by two telecom industry bodies said here Wednesday.
"These preparations benefit from our learnings from Uttarakhand and J&K's recent natural calamities, and the difficulties created by the cyclone Hudhud in Orissa and Andhra Pradesh. Now, the Indian telecom companies are better prepared to ensure that people remain connected in the districts that may get affected by the cyclone.
"We are ready to minimize the possible damage caused by the cyclone on the mobile communications network and will be putting in the best possible efforts to ensure availability of communications access and restoration of the critical services quickly and effectively," Rajan S. Mathews, director general, Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI) said. COAI is the GSM body in India.
"The industry is with the people of Gujarat as the cyclone Nilofar approaches the state. We are aligned with the requirements and are pro-actively taking measures to ensure that there is minimum loss of connectivity for the people. The industry will work at tandem with the state and central governments for restoring normalcy as early as possible," Ashok Sud, secretary general, Association of Unified Service Providers of India (AUSPI) said. It is the CDMA body.
The telecom companies are working very closely with the department of telecommunications as well as the Gujarat chief minister's office and other local bodies to share information and coordinate efforts, the statement said.
The members of COAI and AUSPI will be monitoring the situation on the ground closely during the storm and are committed to provide the maximum possible communication services and facilities in the affected areas during the storm and for a speedy recovery and restoration of full service thereafter, it said.