AT&T and Verizon Chosen to Provide Cellular Communications in Emergency

I've written a post about Sprint offering its iDen network to the Obama administration as a network that can provide cellular communications in emergency situations. However, it seems that the Federal Emergency Management Administration or FEMA has tapped other carriers to provide cellular communications in emergency situations.

According to the folks at RCR Wireless News, FEMA has picked AT&T and Verizon as the most suitable carriers that can offer cellular communications in emergency response situations. These networks will be responsible for bringing cellular communications in emergency cases involving the nation.

Let's look at why AT&T was picked by FEMA. According to the cellular communications in emergency plan, AT&T will provide wireless and Wi-Fi services on a daily basis. AT&T's services will power FEMA's day-to-day operations.

Under FEMA's cellular communications in emergency plan, AT&T will provide 16,000 wireless devices that include wireless cards, smartphones and various other handsets. Voice and data communications as well as e-mail solutions for the wireless handsets will be available. AT&T Handsets with push-to-talk capabilities will also be use for providing cellular communications in emergency situations.

On the other hand, Verizon Wireless, role in this cellular communications in emergency scheme is to provide communication in cases of emergencies. The Verizon Wireless handsets and devices that will be used in cellular communications in emergency situations are being stockpiled in a warehouse.

The Federal Emergency Management Administration has also assigned Stratus Technologies to provide satellite assistance in this cellular communications in emergency plan.

According to experts, FEMS relies heavily on wireless networks and satellites for communications in emergency because most networks knocked during disasters. The agency wants communications to be restored as soon as possible during national emergencies.

This ends this update on FEMA's plans for restoring cellular communications in emergency. Tune in to this blog for more wireless network news and updates.