China Broadband Satellite Network (CBSN) and IPSTAR Join Forces to Link Earthquake-Devastated Communities and First Responders to the World

Communication outage caused by unexpected disasters can occur in short notice, and oftentimes without warning. The time it takes to restore damaged telecommunication lines due to disasters may require days or even weeks, leaving first responders crippled and communities isolated without access to reliable communications. The lack of operable terrestrial infrastructure severely impedes the situational awareness, and most importantly, the relief and recovery efforts of the first responders.

Even established and sophisticated ground infrastructures, like phone lines and cable systems, can be entirely knocked down or damaged from an unanticipated disaster - rendering previously trusted communication services useless. This devastation was experienced at the recent May 2008 earthquake which heavily struck the industrial province of Sichuan in China.

Unlike terrestrial networks, satellites are completely immune to catastrophic events such as earthquakes, typhoons and landslides. Satellite platforms, like IPSTAR, can step-in to fill the communication, command and control gaps as a result of crippled terrestrial lines. The IPSTAR product and solution portfolio is designed to meet the precise needs of first responders in putting communication networks back on line in the event of natural or man-made disasters.

The Situation

The May 2008 earthquake that hit Sichuan in the western part of China led to a great loss of lives. Aside from this devastation brought by the catastrophic event, the earthquake also damaged billions worth of properties in the province, including
telecommunication infrastructure.

The devastating 8-magnitude earthquake destroyed switching centers, mobile stations, underground cables, fiber optic networks and electrical poles - contributing to at least more than a billion USD in telecommunication damages. The earthquake cut the telecommunication link of Sichuan, resulting to the delay of rescue efforts, while neighboring provinces experienced network congestion after the disaster because of the drastic increase in system traffic.

The Solution

Within hours after the tragic event, IPSTAR user terminals were deployed by CBSN in heavily affected areas to provide broadband Internet, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Satellite News Gathering (SNG), and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) services. IPSTAR was used to assist relief mission teams on their search and rescue operations, and to keep them updated on the extent of damage caused by the earthquake. It also helped reunite families, reconnect communities, and let the world witness the devastation of the disaster - also the many acts of heroism.

For many disaster survivors and first responders, IPSTAR served as the only source of communications in the hours, days, and weeks following the event - providing connectivity that terrestrial networks could no longer provide after the Sichuan earthquake.

Proof-of-Concept

The IPSTAR disaster recovery and emergency communication solution employs a small-sized antenna and a low-power consumption user terminal, making it possible for first responders to use solar panels as the main power source and a battery system for backup. Most IPSTAR networks deployed in disaster-hit areas used power generators to keep the system running during the lengthy electricity outage in Sichuan.

Specially designed for rugged environments, IPSTAR is also suitable for continuous, heavy-duty and unmanned operations in the field. The IPSTAR user terminal has a rugged enclosure, air ventilation and anti-dust features to withstand the harsh terrains of Sichuan. With compact and robust design, it was easily deployed - either for indoor or outdoor use - in the badly hit areas of the province.

The IPSTAR user terminal also supports Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM) for seamless, reliable operation under the most severe weather conditions - especially during the heavy rainstorms that followed a few days after the earthquake. With the combination of advanced power adjustment and bandwidth-efficient waveforms, ACM automatically adjusts the user terminal's modulation, coding and gain in response to the changing link conditions in Sichuan.

The IPSTAR satellite platform was chosen by CBSN as the preferred cost-effective solution in providing reliable voice, video and data communication services for first responders of the Sichuan earthquake. In the aftermath of the disaster, over 100 IPSTAR user terminals were deployed for the CBSN's relief efforts - providing earthquake victims with telephone service, media reporters with broadband Internet and on-site
SNG network, and hydrologists with real-time disaster monitoring data.