[ARRL-OK] Senate Looks at Benefits of Satellite Phones in Disaster Zones

[ClayMayrose at aol.com]

>From  Space.com
 
Senate Looks at Benefits of  Satellite Phones in Disaster Zones

By  Missy Frederick
Space News Staff Writer


WASHINGTON – The chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications  Commission 
(FCC) told lawmakers Sept. 22 that satellite technology has a key  role to play in 
disaster relief efforts due to the vulnerability of terrestrial  
communications infrastructure. 
"If we learned anything from Hurricane Katrina, it is that we  cannot rely 
solely on terrestrial communications," Kevin Martin told members of  the Senate 
Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. "When radio towers  are 
knocked down, satellite communications are, in some instances, the most  effective 
means of communicating." 
Martin was one of several witnesses at a hearing called to  evaluate the 
effectiveness — or lack thereof — of communications available to  relief 
organizations in the aftermath of Katrina, which knocked out terrestrial  
infrastructure in the coastal areas of Louisiana and Mississippi. The damage  report 
included telephone lines of almost 3 million customers knocked down, 38  emergency 
9-1-1 call centers disabled, more than 25 million calls failed and  hundreds 
of thousands of customers without cable television, Martin said.  Through the 
chaos, however, satellite telephones were effective, he said. 
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) pushed Martin to elaborate on the  point that 
satellite networks, while often relatively expensive and difficult to  establish, 
are more resilient than terrestrial systems. 
"So we should consider satellite communications as a part of our  overall 
solution in response to disasters?" McCain asked.  
"That's correct," Martin said. 
If McCain was sold, so was Sen. John Sununu (R-N.H.). "I  certainly agree 
with Senator McCain about the value of satellite phones and  their resilience," 
Sununu said. 
But some lawmakers remain unconvinced of the reliability of  satellite 
communications. 
"My personal experience with satellite phones was that it was  pretty 
spotty," said Sen. David Vitter (R-La.). 
Martin said because of the potential problems with connectivity,  satellite 
technology is best suited as a back up to terrestrial networks. The  ideal 
scenario is to have integrated networks in which calls are automatically  rerouted 
to satellites when terrestrial nodes are damaged, he said. 
"I think that might be a more effective way to ensure everyone  still has 
coverage," Martin said. 
U.S. cellular phone service provider Cingular Wireless has a  satellite-based 
network augmentation system under development and tested it out  during 
Katrina. Paul Roth, executive vice president for external affairs and  public 
relations at Atlanta-based Cingular, referred to the system as the  company's 
"worst-case scenario" communications solution. 
Cingular's Project Pegasus entails using a truck-mounted  satellite dish, 
antennas and other equipment to allow Cingular phones to operate  in areas where 
the local cellular towers have been knocked out of operation,  Roth said 
during the hearing. Two prototypes were delivered to New Orleans for  use during 
the storm's aftermath, and another was being shipped to San Antonio,  Texas, in 
anticipation of Hurricane Rita, he said. 
"Pegasus should be deployed in an emergency in key locations  throughout the 
U.S.," Roth said. 
Some senators questioned whether non-terrestrial forms of  communications are 
appropriately equipped to dial 9-1-1 during disasters. But  Sununu said this 
might not be the highest priority for satellite phones. 
"We want to make sure we're encouraging innovation and new ideas  rather than 
just saying everyone needs to participate in the system as it is,"  Sununu 
said. 
The Senate Commerce Committee has scheduled a second hearing on  
communications for first responders for Sept.  29.