Financial Times

Mobiles gave connectivity when landlines broke
By Akhry Ameer
Mobile phones came to the rescue of the masses ensuring uninterrupted telecommunications through the Boxing Day tsunami disaster and the continuing week although overloading of networks made it difficult for callers to get connected initially.

The damage to Sri Lanka Telecom's (SLT) main coastal cable network often meant mobile phones were the only form of communication. Mobile operators saw a surge in traffic on their networks.

Dialog experienced interruptions in six locations mainly due to interruption of power but managed to restore them within 12 hours. Only two towers in Tangalle and Hambantota had taken longer than this.

Dialog experienced a surge in traffic chiefly in the east due to its wide coverage of the area. "We were able to provide virtually uninterrupted connectivity due to our minimal disaster recovery plan, but not without a challenge," said Dr. Hans Wijesuriya, Dialog CEO who was visiting Tangalle when contacted on Thursday.

Dialog has helped the authorities in locating foreign nationals roaming on its network through the last calls taken and the location the phones were operating in. Locals can also request for help through its 112 hotline where call centre staff are able to pass on related information.

Celltel's Chief Executive Officer Dumindra Ratnayake said Celltel's network was only affected in Hambantota due to flooding, while all other parts of the network functioned smoothly. "We normally locate sites on higher ground thinking of normal floods. As a result we were lucky", he said.

The company, which caters to a large pre-paid segment, is experiencing a problem in distribution of its top-up cards due to shops being damaged. However, customers who have called in reporting difficulty in these areas have been extended Rs. 100 worth talk time free.

Both operators said they cannot replace the lost phones of customers. Dialog is not a handset seller but said it could replace SIM cards in bona fide cases while customers could redeem points to purchase phones through its Club Vision loyalty scheme.

Wireless local loop operator Suntel said it had not experienced serious network infrastructure damage. However, around 2000 to 2500 telephone units and reception equipment at customer premises have been damaged by collapsing walls, damage to houses and flooding.

"The company is still working out compensation issues," said Mahinda Ramasundara indicating plans not to burden customers for equipment damage. The replacements, however, would take time as the company's warehouse with stocks of equipment in Galle has been washed away.

All of Dialog's unmanned transmission sites are equipped with backup batteries and generator power that are each able to provide continued service for up to eight hours. Thereafter, a manual changeover is required, which is being carried out continuously at present through mobile teams due to absence of grid power.

The mobile operator is also assisting in various relief efforts. The company in conjunction with Red Cross has established medical centres at camps and free telecommunication facilities.

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