Lok Sabha Question No. 2805 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-02
Subject: Disruption in Telecom Services
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: K.R.P. PRABAKARAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2805 TO BE ANSWERED ON 2 ND   AUGUST, 2017

## DISRUPTION IN TELECOM SERVICES

2805. SHRI K.R.P. PRABAKARAN:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of the instances of frequent disruptions  in telecommunication  services  including  internet  facility  post  extreme  weather  occurrences across the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof including the number of such instances occurred during each of  the  last  three  years  and  the  current  year,  rural  area/urban  area-wise  and  State/UT-wise along with the reasons therefor; and
- (c) the remedial measures taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

- (a) & (b) Instances of disruptions in telecommunication services due to extreme weather occurrences/  natural  disaster  has  been  reported  from  time  to  time.  The  details  along  with reasons thereof are annexed (Annexure).
- (c) For mitigating the effects of disaster on telecommunications services, the Department of  Telecommunications  has  been  issuing  guidelines  from  time  to  time  to  allow  intra-circle roaming  arrangement  between  the  Telecom  Service  providers.  Periodic  monitoring  about status of telecom services in the affected areas have been carried out during the disruption of telecommunications services due to natural disaster and all efforts were made to ensure that the  services  are  restored  as  soon  as  possible.  The  respective  Telecom  Service  Providers (TSPs) has also been taking actions for monitoring and early restoration of services in case of any disruption due to extreme weather condition/ natural disaster. Some of the actions taken by the TSPs include:
- (i) Setting up of special control room (called War Room) for close monitoring of all alarms in the affected areas.
- (ii) Making available critical spares at Hub / BSC (Base Station Controller)/ RNC (Radio Network Controller) locations to minimize the impact.
- (iii) Making  available  sufficient  diesel  stock,  whenever  there  is  a  forecast  about probable cyclone/ floods.
- (iv) Deployment of additional vehicles/ manpower in the affected areas for quick movement of spares/ technical manpower for early restoration of services.
- (v) Seeking immediate help from local authorities in obtaining necessary permissions for movement of vehicles, getting diesel on priority etc. for early restoration of services.

In order to standardize the actions to be followed by various stakeholders, a Standing Operating Procedure-2017 has been issued in March 2017 by the Department of Telecommunications  for  early  restoration  of  Telecommunication  network  during  disasters. Instructions  have  been  issued  to  TSPs  for  public  alert  and  mandatory  Intra-Circle  roaming facility during disaster.

## Annexure

|   SN | Name of License Service Area   | Year                    | Details/ Reasons                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|------|--------------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|    1 | UP (West)                      | 2016                    | During first week of July 2016, Chamoli and Pithoragarh districts of Uttarakhand was affected by landslide due to heavy rains and cloudbursts. There was disruption of telecommunication services in these areas.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|    2 | Andhra Pardesh                 | 2014 & 2016             | In 2014, the Hud-Hud Cyclone affected North coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh leading to disruption of telecom services. Again, in 2016 due to cyclone Vardha the telecom services were disrupted in the affected areas of Andhra Pradesh.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|    3 | North East                     | 2017                    | Cyclone Mora affected districts of Chandel, Kohima, Moreh, Churachandpur, Senapti, Phek, Wokha, Gomati, South Tripura, Sepahijala, West Tripura, Dhalai, Khowai, Unakoti, North Tripura,Aizawl , Champai , Lunglei , Mamit , Kolasib , Lawngtlai , Saiha , Serchhip East Khasi Hills District, West Khasi Hills District, West Jaintia Hills District , East Jaintia Hills District, North Garo Hills District , West Garo Hills District, South Garo Hills District , East Garo Hills District, South West Garo Hills District and Mokokchung |
|    4 | Tamil Nadu                     | 2015 & 2016             | In December 2015, heavy unprecedented floods ravaged Chennai and declared as a national disaster. During that period the mobile communications and internet traffic were affected to a larger extent. Again, in December 2016, mighty unprecedented Cyclone ravaged Chennai and declared as a national disaster. During that period the mobile communications and internet traffic were affected to a large extent due to OFC cable cut at numerous locations due to fallen and uprooted trees                                                 |
|    5 | Jammu and Kashmir              | 2014                    | There were disruptions in telecommunication services including internet facility due to flood in Kashmir Valley.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|    6 | Odisha                         | 2014                    | There were disruptions in telecommunication services during Hud- Hud Cyclone which hit Odisha coastal areas.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|    7 | Assam                          | 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017 | Due to floods in Assam, the telecommunications services were disrupted in the affected areas in the year 2014, 2015& 2016. Similarly, in current year also, telecommunication services are disrupted due to ongoing floods.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|    8 | Gujarat                        | 2017                    | There are disruptions in telecommunication services during ongoing floods in multiple districts (Bharuch/ Ahmedabad).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |

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