Sprint Nextel Emergency Response Team (ERT)

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, many wireless
carriers undertook efforts to identify cell sites in
potentially vulnerable locations and to relocate
them or reinforce them with more durable physical
components and individual power supplies. In
addition to initiatives like these to help maintain
communications capacity even under extreme
conditions, carriers have also taken steps to more
easily add or restore capacity when needed. Many
companies have equipped vehicles with satellites
and equipment to establish temporary cell sites
when an emergency renders fi xed sites inoperable
or inadequate. Specialized teams can deploy
COWs (cell on wheels) or COLTs (cell on light trucks)
to create large areas of secure, self-contained
connectivity and allow government agencies to
communicate within and outside of an affected
region. One company has outfi tted a Hummer H1
as a mobile cell site, while another has converted
large trailers into complete mobile command centers.
Sprint created a unique satellite COLT to be deployed
in an emergency and left to run for weeks on its own,
freeing technicians to help in other areas.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• COWs
• (cell
• on
• wheels)
• COLTs
• light
• trucks)