[dmwg] IMPROVING MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS DURING DISASTERS FOCUS OF NEW UN PARTNERSHIP

[Vern Weitzel]

Subject: IMPROVING MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS DURING DISASTERS FOCUS OF NEW UN 
PARTNERSHIP
Date: Thu, 9 Jul 2009 10:00:50 -0400
From: UNNews <UNNews at un.org>
Reply-To: unnews at un.org
To: <news3 at secint00.un.org>

IMPROVING MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS DURING DISASTERS FOCUS OF NEW UN PARTNERSHIP
New York, Jul  9 2009 10:00AM
The United Nations telecom agency has teamed up with a United States-based 
wireless services provider to improve mobile communications in preparing for 
disasters and in responding once they strike.

As part of the agreement, Qualcomm Incorporated will donate a compact, easy to 
operate and deployable base station worth nearly $500,000 to the International 
Telecommunication Union (<"http://www.itu.int/net/home/index.aspx">ITU) to boost 
the capacity of the UN agency to deploy mobile telecommunications to help 
countries in disaster preparedness, as well as in response and recovery.

Sami Al Basheer, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau, 
welcomed the alliance, noting the vital impact it will have on helping countries 
when emergencies strike.

The Qualcomm Deployable Base Station (QDBS) “brings with it the wireless 
technology that is so essential in bridging the telecommunication gap when 
terrestrial networks are knocked out by natural disasters,” he 
<"http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2009/NP03.html">said.

Through its Wireless Reach™ initiative, Qualcomm works with organizations such 
as ITU to bring wireless technology to those who need it most.

“We are proud to work with ITU and provide a useful system to enhance their 
emergency communications programme,” said Shawn A. Covell, Senior Director of 
International Government Affairs for Qualcomm.
________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news