Emergency Emergency Telecom Telecom Cluster (ETC)Cluster (ETC)Presented by: Mirwais Presented by: Mirwais ShinwaryShinwaryHead of ICT, WFP Head of ICT, WFP ETC CoordinatorETC Coordinator

More Technical More Technical & Providing & Providing Services to Services to other Clusters other Clusters or or Humanitarian Humanitarian Community, No Community, No NGO memberNGO member

3Ws, Who What Where/Map

24/7 radio rooms, Kabul, Kunduz, Mazar, Hirat, Kandahar, Gardez, Faizabad, Jalalabad and Bamyan

VHF Coverage, simplex and duplex

HF Coverage

Mobile Phone Coverage

MiniM/Thuraya Satellite Phones

Internet Services, VSAT, Fiber Optic

Emergency Telecom Cluster (ETC)Emergency Telecom Cluster (ETC)

Emergency Telecom Cluster (ETC)Emergency Telecom Cluster (ETC)

INDICATOR TARGET STATUSPROGRESS UPDATE AND

ACTION REQUIRED

Obtaining license for VHF and HF frequencies, used by the humanitarian community in Afghanistan.

Legal frequencies and equipment used by the humanitarian community

On track

There has been good progress recently and hopefully the licensing of the frequencies and equipment Registration will be achieved soon.  

Standardizing VHF and HF channels for the humanitarian community in Afghanistan.

Standardized channels, callsigns and selcalls for humanitarian community

Major gap

There are major challenges that the channels and seclalls will be standards, everyone has their own channel structure and some are not using the right selcall. This is making it quite difficult to implement the common channelling and selcall system. Support from all agencies is highly required to implement this activity. Also support is required from the HC/RC and HCT.

Standardizing standard call signs and sell calls for the humanitarian community in Afghanistan.

Ready equipment for -Security telecom training

Major gaps Same as above

Ensure that the Telecommunication system /Coordination working well where Humanitarian community is delivering services.

Good

No funding is received for any project. This affected the work of ETC on a number of levels for 2012.

There is no updated agreement with the Government on the use of Telecom equipment and frequencies for the Humanitarian Community.

License for most of the HF and VHF frequencies used by the Humanitarian community for decades is not obtained. Most of the frequencies used by agencies are unlicensed and as a result the network is suffering from interference, jamming and irregularities among the agencies and the military. We really need the support of HC/RC and the HCT as whole.

Problems at the Customs office and MOC/ATRA for the import of the Telecom equipment were encountered. Most of the times it takes months for clearance.

No country-wide Telecoms contingency plan or Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Plan (DRP/BCP) is in place.

Lack of attendance and contribution from member agencies and NGOs as well as low-level technical staff at ETC meetings was a challenge.

The Inter agency tower collapsed on TV hill and need to be replaced with a steady and strong tower.

Emergency Telecom Cluster (ETC)Emergency Telecom Cluster (ETC)

Independent VHF setup for most of the agencies in Kabul has discouraged working jointly and with common setup and approach.

TV Hill Access is a huge issue; ETC drafted the letter and with the support of OCHA will be sent to ministry of Defiance once signed by HC/RC. The challenge of many agencies setup on TV hill make it impossible that over 40 access cards would be issued to the UN.

The MoC and ATRA are now not extending any Telecom frequencies license for UN agencies and also not clearing the equipment from custom, as the condition is that the Telecom equipment for each agency to be registered first and VHF/HF frequencies license to be obtained first.

OMT formed separate working group for ICT and Telecommunication issues, which is a duplication of current active Cluster.

Emergency Telecom Cluster (ETC)Emergency Telecom Cluster (ETC)