Cyclone Mocha: BTRC forms emergency teams for uninterrupted telecommunication services
As very severe cyclone Mocha set to hit the coastal areas of Bangladesh, especially Chattogram, Teknaf and Cox’s Bazar, at any time between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm on Sunday, the Department of Posts and Telecommunications has instructed all the subordinate agencies, including the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, to ensure uninterrupted telecommunications services, reports news agency UNB.
The department has asked all the subordinate agencies to complete necessary preparations to ensure that all types of telecommunications services continue during the disaster and post-disaster period to deal with the cyclone, said a press release.
The BTRC has also directed all the licensees concerned and all telecom operators providing telecommunication services to form emergency response teams and set up control rooms on Saturday.
A 10-member emergency response team has been formed by the BTRC. The team will take measures in coordination with the telecom operators to ensure uninterrupted service, including round-the-clock monitoring of the telecommunications service system in the cyclone-affected areas, and will continue close contact with the concerned district and upazila administrations.
Besides, the BTRC has also started a control room with three members. The phone numbers of the two control room are: 01552202854 and 01552202886.
The BTRC control room is coordinating between the monitoring team formed by the BTRC and how the licensees working in the coastal areas are working to deal with the cyclone Mocha. Besides, mobile operators, NTTNs, ISPs and other licensed officials concerned are taking necessary measures to inform the control room if they face any problem in taking action in the coastal areas, said the release.
In view of the BTRC directive, the telecom operators have set up control rooms in their respective offices to ensure uninterrupted telecommunication services in the coastal and surrounding areas and adequate batteries, diesel generators, portable generators and additional vehicles have been arranged to travel during the disaster to ensure power backup to keep their network system active.
Mobile operator Grameenphone has taken the initiative to provide special packages to provide free telecommunication services to the people of cyclone-affected areas. Grameenphone’s emergency contact numbers are: 01711505368, 0171108110101 and 01711081804.
Service provider Banglalink has said that special measures will be taken to make it easier to recharge mobile phones along with text messages and social media campaigns to make people aware of the cyclone situation. Banglalink’s emergency contact numbers are: 0196244565, 01911310795 and 01962424706.
Robi customers will get emergency balance, minutes and internet by dialing *8# at any time. Robi’s hotline numbers are: 0181718368 and 01819210350.
Teletalk has taken steps to ensure commercial power supply along with adequate fuel supply by removing mechanical defects of all generators to ensure power supply at core site and hub site. Besides, a response team has been formed and a control room has been set up. Emergency Response Team Numbers - 01550155045, 015505155034 and 0155015053. Control Room Numbers: 02333315900 and 0155515211.
Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Limited (BTCL) has opened a control room to deal with the problem. The contact number of the control room is 0248317788.
The emergency contact number of the tower construction company edotco is 01871006730. The summit’s emergency contact number is 01791040385 and 01711080484. Kirtankhola’s emergency contact number is 01401159572 (Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar) 01713479912 (Barisal). Frontier’s Emergency Contact Numbers are: 01810169540 and 01810169548.
ISPs, NTTNs and other telecom operators have taken steps and are constantly trying to keep their networks active in the areas likely to hit the cyclone during the disaster.