Following the development of the war between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) was established in Ukraine on March 3, 2022, an ETC situation report on the ReliefWeb website says.
Every month, ETC SitReps are sent.
The ETC is keeping track of the status of the VHF radio license approval with the Ukrainian State Centre of Radio Frequencies (UCRF). When awarded, the license will be applied to build a network of security communications for aid workers in Ukraine.
Eight UNRCO staff members and 35 WFP employees in Kyiv received training on satellite connectivity and VHF radio communications from the ETC in October. The ETC also assisted the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (UNRCO) in developing their telecommunications contingency plan.
The ETC Chatbot has been used by 14,552 users to access information about humanitarian aid. The Coordination Centre for Legal Aid Provision is the new content source the ETC is collaborating with for the ETC Chatbot service (CCLAP).
In the newly accessible regions of Kharkiv, Kupiansk, Izyum, and Lyman, the ETC assessed the voice and data coverage of three Mobile Network Operators (MNOs)—Vodafone, Lifecell, and Kyivstar—in October. In the newly accessible locations, Lifecell provides comparable superior coverage for calls, SMS, and 4G data connectivity.
According to the report a voice and data connectivity services assessment is being performed by the ETC since October 28, in the city center and at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) facility in Ternopil.
The ETC is keeping tabs on the approval of the Very High Frequency (VHF) license with the Ukrainian State Centre of Radio Frequencies (UCRF). The officials are just about to approve the license. Once approved, the VHF license will make it possible to build a secure communications network in Ukraine for aid workers.
In order to implement the recommendations of the “TESS+” report to provide emergency security communications services to UN agencies in Ukraine, the crew started installing the indoor components of the VHF repeater in the UNDSS facilities in Dnipro.
Read the full report here.
