ANACOM given responsibilities to coordinate communications in emergency situations

The PNEPC - Plano Nacional de Emergência de Proteção Civil (National Emergency Plan for Civil Protection) in Portugal, recently approved by the Government¹, designates ANACOM as the body responsible for coordinating communications whenever situations occur which trigger the plan. 

Under the PNEPC, it falls to ANACOM, under the terms of the Law and in coordination with other competent authorities, to identify and characterise the electronic communications resources deemed useful for civil protection.  ANACOM will work to ensure preparedness and cooperation among the organisations involved in this area, so that each is able to function properly within its area of action.

Meanwhile, suppliers of publicly available electronic communication networks services are called on to cooperate and collaborate in the process, under the legislation in force and under the coordination of ANACOM, with a view to the possible supply of public communications resources, goods and services, including as regards:

• The urgent installation of fixed accesses anywhere in the Portuguese territory;
   
• The provision of mobile base stations to replace or strengthen the network in a given geographical area;
   
• The availability of fixed and mobile telephone service and satellite service terminal equipment;
   
• The urgent and prioritized restoration of affected services and infrastructure;
   
• Cooperation in the reduction/elimination of existing traffic the area(s) of an emergency;
   
• Networks and service situation reporting;

Postal service providers are to cooperate with a view to ensuring joint postal services in an emergency situation, coordinated by ANACOM.

In the organisation of a response to an emergency situation, ANACOM is called on to act during both the emergency phase and in the recovery phase; in accordance with its remit, ANACOM will provide technical support to the organisations and agencies responsible for the integrated emergency communications network and ensure the availability and efficient use of the radio spectrum during both phases of a situation.