Due to the central role that the internet plays in our lives, many have called for broadband to be considered a ‘fourth utility’ alongside water, gas and electricity.
This does not just apply to our personal lives as citizens and consumers but also to more extreme circumstances, as a project to connect the Syrian refugee camps in Greece is proving.
Cradlepoint, the cloud-based network solutions company has been partnering with Irish voluntary organisation, Disaster Tech Lab, to deploy free emergency 3G and 4G LTE wi-fi in refugee camps.
Evert Bopp, CEO at Disaster Tech Lab, who is on the scene in Greece, explains that internet access has become an essential service during humanitarian crises. He cites a survey saying that internet access was often the second thing that refugees asked for.
He says it is equally important to the charitable organisations at the scene.
“They simply cannot do their work without internet access as most use cloud-based admin and project management tools.”
The internet connection is being used for a number of purposes by a number of different parties.
A secure password-encrypted network is being used by authorities including the United Nations, aid organisations and the Greek military. These organisations use this to securely communicate and process asylum applications.
There is also an open wi-fi network which refugees can use, which is primarily used by refugees relying on their smartphones.
This includes official uses: asylum seekers arriving in Greece are required to make their initial application to the Greek authorities via a Skype call.
However, it is also used by refugees to keep in contact with friends and family and gain access to information about available services and aid. Some projects have used the connectivity to help establish schools within the camps.
The network had to be something that could be easily and quickly deployed. The solution uses 4G modems, using the backbone of local cellular connectivity to build a
Bopp says that the cost of using cellular is “substantial”, but says that “the need is so urgent that it warrants the costs.”
The main challenges in setting up a network at the camps include a lack of another basic utility: electricity.
Bopp says that the connectivity in early stages often comes from renewable sources solar panels, batteries or wind turbines.
Obviously the nature of the network makes it dependent on local cellular connectivity. Assuming cellular data is available, the team can quickly provide a basic service using Cradlepoint.
In some camps the team built its own radiolinks over distances up to 30 miles using Cambium Networks equipment, allowing them to provide a large enough backhaul for the camp.
This type of service has been used before. The services were first provided in 2010 following the Haiti earthquake.
Since then, Disaster Tech has responded to a number of disasters worldwide, including Hurricane Sandy in the USA, the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, as well as disasters in the Philippines, Vanuatu, Nepal, Fiji and Ecuador. It currently has over 200 volunteers across 11 countries.
Although the use-case is fairly unique, the example of the deployment at the Greek refugee camps could provide valuable insight for anybody that needs to connect an area at short notice.
