Government Directs Telcos on Disaster Preparedness, Network Security, and Border Infra

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has asked all telecom operators to ensure their networks are prepared to function during disaster-level situations. This includes maintaining uninterrupted services and coordination among operators to avoid outages during emergencies.

Border Infrastructure to be Prioritised

Operators have been told to update their lists of critical telecom sites, especially in districts near international borders. A particular focus has been placed on ensuring BTS (Base Transceiver Station) locations within 100 km of the border stay operational.

Connectivity for Emergency Centres

Telecom connectivity to Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs) at both the state and district level is to be kept active without interruptions. Operators must also ensure compliance with the 2020 Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for disaster scenarios. These SOPs outline necessary technical and operational steps to follow before, during, and after any major disruption.

Backups and On-Ground Teams

All operators have been instructed to maintain enough diesel reserves for DG sets to ensure power supply to telecom equipment. Spare parts and repair teams are to be deployed at key sites for fast recovery. Regular testing of communication equipment, backup routes, and support systems has also been mandated.

Roaming and Coordination Protocols

The functioning of the Intra-Circle Roaming (ICR) facility is to be tested by all operators. Requests for ICR activation, if needed, must be submitted to the designated official in charge of disaster management at DoT.

In cases where the Ministry of Defence requests specific communication setups, operators must arrange these without delay. DoT’s local service area heads will work with state governments to support telecom teams’ mobility during emergency situations.

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Cybersecurity Advisories Issued Separately

The Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has issued alerts to banks and other critical sectors to strengthen their cybersecurity systems following increased threats. This is being handled alongside telecom-related measures.

Conclusion

The directives are part of a wider framework to keep telecom services functional during emergencies and reduce downtime across essential communication infrastructure. The urgency to counter emerging threats is not solely a government concern, as private industry is also actively participating in rapid response.

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