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Earthquake Exposes Worldwide Telecommunications Vulnerabilities

Posted on: Thursday, 28 December 2006, 00:00 CST

Wednesday's earthquake and aftershocks jolted Asia for hours but the telecommunication disruptions may reverberate for weeks. When transpacific fiber optic cables were damaged, internet and phone call volume plummeted by half and web browsing slowed to a crawl. This, in the world's fastest-growing communications marketplace.

The disaster highlights the vulnerability of international telecommunications in a global economy that has grown dependent on real-time communications. It also raises the stakes for $500 million in planned investments in new transpacific undersea cables.

"Natural disasters can expose weaknesses in global communications," said Ken Zita, who served as a telecommunications advisor to the U.S. Government following the Asian tsunami. Zita, conference chairman of PTC'07: Beyond Telecom, will host telecommunications executives from over 60 countries at PTC'07 next month where emergency communications and disaster management will be highlighted. "Despite the latest network management technologies, traffic concentration remain susceptible to strong natural hazards," he said noting session on rapid deployment of communications tools in times of disasters and the establishment of emergency tactical plans for critical communications facilities.

According to David Lassner, President and Chairman of the Board of Governors for PTC and CIO at the University of Hawaii, underscores the importance of emergency planning. "Global telecommunications cannot be underestimate. Everything from billions of dollars in international trade to personal communication with family is silently carried by our industry," he said. "When we go dead, the world goes dead."

PTC'07 will be held in Honolulu January 14 - 17. Click www.ptc07.org for online registration. Leading sponsors include Stealth Communications, Telus, Tyco, Verizon, VSNL International, Arbinet, Asia Netcom, AT&T, CPCNet Hong Kong Ltd, France Telecom Group, GCI, Intelsat, LoralSkynet, Macquarie Telecom, Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP, Qwest Communications, Korea Telecom (KT), PacketFront, REDCOM Laboratories, Redline Communications, Boeing Satellite Systems International, China Telecom USA, CITIC 1616, Level 3 Communications Inc., Pacific Crossing Limited (PCL), and SubOptic.

Founded in 1980, Pacific Telecommunications Council (PTC) is an international, non-profit, non-government membership organization based in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. Its mission is to promote the development, understanding, and beneficial use of telecommunications and information technology throughout the Pacific region.

Source: Business Wire

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