The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is reportedly exploring new innovative solutions to maintain 5G connectivity during emergencies. With the telecom infrastructure which seldom gets damaged and power supplies get disrupted during events like natural calamity, or other situations, the traditional methods of network could be slow and challenging at those moments. To address this, DoT has recently considered using balloons and drones as a temporary redressal to ensure continuous 5G coverage until the regular infrastructure can be restored.
Challenges in network restoration
During times of emergencies like natural disasters or calamities, setting up new mobile sites could be challenging as well as time-consuming. Telecom operators will often struggle to quickly bring their networks back online (from the damaged infrastructure and power outages which has been caused).
How will DoT mitigate the challenges?
The DoT will address the concerning issues by deploying balloons and drones which could provide interim connectivity solutions. These aerial platforms can be quickly deployed to affected areas, offering a more flexible and faster response compared to ground-based setups.
Trial plans and implementation timeline
As per the report filed by the Economic Times (ET), the DoT has been planning to conduct trials in the coming months to test the effectiveness of using balloons and drones to deploy 5G network restoration during the unwanted situation.
These trials are expected to be complete by June next year (2025). Only after these trials are done, the final decision will be made on the broader implementation of this initiative. The success of these trials will be crucial in determining if this approach could be scaled up and used in real-world disaster scenarios.
Disaster management and connectivity
The DoT has reportedly dedicated a disaster management unit which will be responsible for ensuring mobile network connectivity during any disaster or calamity. This unit will send timely messages, alerts and warnings about potential disasters to customers across the region.
The use of drones and balloons is seen as a potential game-changer in this regard, providing a rapid and reliable means to restore connectivity in the affected areas.
Government mandates and preparedness
The central government has already mandated the sharing of networks between telecom operators during disasters to make sure that everyone remains connected during the crisis- specifically during power outages. This move has been taken to combat the situation- as the government instructs the telecom operators to ensure that they have adequate power backups for the crisis.
Also, for power backups, telecom operators are required to maintain an extra inventory for portable base stations and satellite equipment. These resources are important for quickly re-establishing connectivity when traditional infrastructure has been compromised.
By having these portable solutions on hand, the telcos will be able to respond more swiftly and effectively to restore network services in disaster-stricken areas.
Potential benefits of aerial connectivity solutions
The use of balloons and drones for network restoration comes with several advantages-
- The aerial platforms could cover large areas
- Provide immediate connectivity solutions without any need for extensive ground infrastructure
- Flexibility is particularly valuable in remote or hard-to-reach areas where traditional network setups may not reach.
- Drones and balloons could be deployed rapidly,
- It will reduce the downtime experienced by affected communities.
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