Ericsson is working with its customers in Japan to assist with network repair operations, following the earthquake and tsunami that struck the country on 11 March. This includes providing a chartered helicopter and provisioning 150 satellite phones in the Tohoku region of northern Japan.
Transport and communications infrastructure in the Tohoku region was severely damaged during the double disaster. Damage to roads means some areas are reachable only by air transport.
To support Japanese operators, an Ericsson-chartered Bell 205 helicopter arrived in the area and began operations on 31 March. Crewed by personnel with experience in disaster zones, the helicopter will carry Ericsson employees and necessary repair equipment to support in the network maintenance, rebuilding and repair tasks faced by all of Ericsson's customers.
The helicopter will also offer non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating in the region the opportunity to transport goods such as food, water and clothes when on-board space is available.
Repairs in the mobile networks include restoring damaged radio base stations and related technical equipment, restoring power, fixing damaged towers and replacing concrete foundations.
In addition to the helicopter, Ericsson is supporting its customer SoftBank with 150 satellite phones, 100 of which were shipped on 25 March. These are being used to co-ordinate repair work in areas where mobile communication infrastructure has yet to be restored.
Two Ericsson Response volunteers were also dispatched to the region, to support SoftBank in getting the satellite phones up and running. The additional 50 satellite phones were shipped on 29 March.
The Ericsson Response volunteers are scheduled to stay in the region until 4 April. They will remain on standby to assist the UN, should that need arise.
Fredrik Alatalo, President of Ericsson Japan, says Ericsson will continue to support its Japanese customers' efforts to restore communications networks.
“We've been in close contact with our customers since the immediate aftermath of the terrible earthquake and tsunami,” he says. “From the outset, we have offered our help to customers, with our complete organisation in Japan fully committed. Our current efforts, including the chartering of the helicopter and providing satellite phones, are part of that. We will continue to work closely with our customers to support in any way we can.”
Networks in the Tohoku region that took the biggest impact from the tsunami continue to be worst affected. Following heavy traffic overload in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, networks in the Tokyo region are currently operating at normal levels, as are the networks south of Tokyo.
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