By Miguel Alcaine, Representative of the ITU Area Office in Tegucigalpa, Honduras

In recent years, the increasing number of disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis and floods has highlighted the urgency of establishing strong telecommunication systems, which are essential if medics, firefighters, police and others are to provide effective relief during emergencies.

In the aftermath of disasters, alternative telecommunication systems are often needed to replace normal systems that have been damaged or destroyed. ITU membership has recognized this need: For many years, emergency telecommunications has been a priority in the Americas Region.

n 2018, ITU teamed up with regional telecommunications bodies in the Americas such as la Comision Regional Tecnica de Telecommunicaciones (COMTELCA), the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL) and the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) to set up an alternative telecommunication system for use in times of emergencies. The system does not rely on conventional means of communication such as the Internet, but rather on amateur radio systems.

The benefits of Winlink

The alternative telecommunications system used is known as Winlink, a worldwide email service that uses radio pathways and is capable of operating completely without the Internet.

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