Further information and documentation related to Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) and Inter-Agency ICT services are available within the Community. A membership is required to access these pages.

 

Roles and services

→ Service provider

→ Process owner

→ ETC Services

 

Service Provider - World Food Programme (WFP)

As service provider for security telecommunications and data communications, WFP is responsible for:

  • Supporting OCHA, the process owner, in the development of standard operating procedures, technical standards, the definition of Emergency Telecommunications services and training modules, fundraising and advocacy
  • Maintaining equipment stock and standby personnel to ensure a pre-defined level of inter-agency readiness for emergencies, as requested by the process owner
  • Providing senior ICT emergency managers to conduct assessments and act as the head of the local ETC
  • Accepting the role of Telecommunications Coordinating Agency when appropriate.

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Process Owner - Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

As the process owner, OCHA is responsible for:

  • Coordinating with service providers, other sectoral leads, other agencies and United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team
  • Ensuring emergency telecommunications standards are established and applied
  • Consolidating lessons learned and refining process definitions
  • Managing assessment missions and requesting the intervention of the service providers when appropriate
  • Managing the establishment of initial emergency telecommunications services until a Telecommunications Coordinating Agency is appointed (relying on the operational capacity of WFP or other partners for the actual implementation and provision of the initial services)
  • Establishing collaboration tools, Web pages, repositories, links and templates
  • Fundraising and ensuring the availability of funding for standby equipment and staff through preparation of appeals and discussion with donors
  • Advocating the Emergency Telecommunications sector
  • Ensuring preparedness so that sufficient staff, stock and funds are on standby for emergency deployments, training and contingency planning
  • Establishing inter-sectoral linkages and alignments to develop sustainable common response and deployment strategies with other humanitarian common services.  

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Emergency Telecommunication Cluster Services

The Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) was established to ensure timely, predictable, and effective provision of inter-agency telecommunications services in support of humanitarian operations (Clusters and humanitarian partners) from the onset of the emergency, including:

  • Providing inter-agency telecommunications infrastructure and services, covering both common data and common security communications
  • Utilize standard, interoperable ICT platforms and procedures to avoid duplication and ensure cost effective services
  • Ensuring a smooth transition to the post-emergency/reconstruction phase.

The ETC security and data-communications services will be managed by a single service provider, WFP.  The service provider will fulfill the responsibilities of the “Cluster Coordinator at the Country Level” and the provider of last resort (POLR).  In this capacity WFP will be responsible for ensuring overall coordination of ETC activities on the ground, in close collaboration with eventual local ICT Working Groups (ICTWGs). These ETC services, which are described in greater detail below, will be provided in defined ‘common operational areas’, i.e. areas where majority of UN agencies and NGOs are present. Such areas are generally defined through an assessment, approved at the Country level by Humanitarian Country Team (HCT), and formally requested by the RC/HC.

Coordination

The following relate to overall coordination and implementation of ETC security and data communications on the ground.

  • Implementation of or collaboration with existing, regular inter-agency (Cluster, ICTWG) meetings. Take on leadership of such groups if and when appropriate
  • Assessment of security and data telecommunication needs for the humanitarian community (Clusters, UN agencies, NGOs), identification of gaps and preparation of recommendations and/or project proposal(s)
  • All project related activities, including the definition and submission for approval of a project document with a clear budget, fund-raising, regular (at least monthly) project report, final handover/closure reporting, donor reporting
  • Coordination of the preparation of project funding proposals documentation for inter-agency requirements such as Flash Appeals, CERF requests and input in the Consolidated Appeals Process
  • Definition of a handover or project closure strategy for the project, with either handover of the project to an implementing partner, or a controlled project close-down, in agreement with the HCT/RC/HC
  • Act as the single focal point with government authorities on behalf of the humanitarian community for all ETC related matters.

Security Communications Services

These services aim to provide a reliable common telecommunications backbone for the humanitarian community (Clusters, UN Agencies and NGOs), to facilitate common security support measures.

The ETC will ensure the provision of a common Security Communications based on findings in the assessment.  The following provides a summary of the scope of the services that will be provided, and the responsibilities of the individual Service Provider and the humanitarian partners.

Security Communications Services include:

  • Assessment of common security telecommunication infrastructure needs for the humanitarian community (Clusters, UN agencies, NGOs), and the preparation of recommendations and/or project proposal(s)
  • Establishment and maintenance of one or more communications centers (COMCEN) operating as per MOSS standard, including recruitment, training and management of the radio operators
  • VHF repeaters to cover the operational area; typically there will be a separate repeater available for the NGO community
  • VHF and HF radios, installed in the COMCEN to monitor the networks
  • Satellite telephone installed in the COMCEN, as a backup system to radio networks
  • Frequency, call-sign and selcall coordination and management
  • Training of users, through a dedicated international radio trainer.

Areas that have no existing security telecommunications infrastructure or basic services (listed below) will be provided within 48 hours upon receiving authorization to travel into the affected area.

  • 1 x VHF repeater
  • 1 x VHF base radio
  • 1 x HF base radio
  • 1 x Satellite telephone

The above equipment and services will be provided through the utilization of WFP Quick fly-away kit, which is hand-carried by the first responder.

Security Communications Services that are NOT provided through ETC deployment:

  • Provision of personal or vehicle radio equipment for individual agencies
  • Procurement of equipment for or on behalf of Agencies or Partners
  • Clearance of customs or the provision of equipment for individual agencies, unless previously arranged on one to one basis
  • Programming of radios or other equipment belonging to individual Agencies; technical  assistance may be provided on a “best effort” basis if/when personnel is available
  • Installation or maintenance of radio equipment or electrical power equipment for any individual Agency
  • Assessment or establishment of MOSS compliance for individual Agencies.

Data Communications Services

These services aim to provide common inter-agency data-communications services for the humanitarian community present in the ‘defined operational area’.

The ETC will ensure the provision of common data-communications services based on findings in the gap assessment.  The following provides a summary of the scope of the services that will be provided, and the responsibilities of the individual Service Provider and the humanitarian partners.

Data Communications Services include:

Initial Phase - within 48 hours upon receiving authorization to travel into the affected area:

  • Basic voice facilities through BGAN or similar satellite terminal
  • Web-based email access through a stand-alone PC connected through a BGAN satellite terminal or alternatively a Thuraya IP terminal
  • Basic printing services
  • Basic Fax services (via Scan – email).

The above equipment and services will be provided as a minimum through the utilization of WFP Quick fly-away kit, which is hand-carried by the first responder.

Initial phase services will be replaced, within 48 hours of obtaining import approval from the local authorities, by the following equipment & services:

  • Wireless data-connectivity from one Internet “hot spot” using portable high-speed data satellite terminals (VSATs) or through local broadband links if available
  • Voice through a number of dedicated channels depending on available/subscribed bandwidth, landing in PSTN in US; if required, a small PBX will be installed at the central site
  • Linking central site to individual agencies that are located at remote location; as a standard up to 5 sites will be linked with wireless bridges/microwave linking equipment, this number may change based on the on-the-ground assessment. Note that geographical conditions may prevent linking in some situations
  • BitSat solution may be replaced with common UN-agency VSAT solution allowing multiple agencies to be connected through a single site.

Agency Responsibilities NOT included in the Data Communications Services include:

  • Connectivity of staff to the Internet hot spots
  • Provision/procurement and support of all local ICT equipment and applications for individual agencies’ staff (PCs, laptop, printers and applications, laptop security, including firewalls and virus software)
  • Local Area Network (LAN) implementation for individual agencies.

The service provider will attempt to support all agencies, however if an Agency is outside the common area and can not be directly supported, then assistance will be provided, via coordination, for this Agency to acquire its own network connectivity.

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