The National Communications Commission has drafted guidelines for “disaster roaming” that would allow mobile phone users to access other networks free of roaming charges during emergencies such as earthquakes and typhoons.
Under the draft plan, people unable to connect to their usual network would not be charged roaming-related costs, such as interconnection fees, for accessing alternative networks for calls or mobile data.
All costs are to be handled by telecom companies, the guidelines say.
Photo: Ting Yi, Taipei Times
The NCC is expected to release the full draft as early as next week, including conditions for activation, termination and cost allocation.
The announcement comes after Typhoon Danas in July heavily disrupted telecom infrastructure in southern Taiwan.
In August, the NCC reached a consensus with agencies and telecom operators to launch a pilot “disaster roaming” program.
The pilot began on Aug. 7 in Tainan’s Cigu District (七股), Chiayi County’s Budai Township (布袋) and the surrounding areas, and is expected to end on Friday next week.
Under the plan, during disasters, people would be able to automatically or manually connect to other network providers to continue making calls or using mobile data.
Disaster roaming would be activated when more than 10 percent or at least five of a telecom operator’s base stations are damaged in a single administrative district, and their functionality cannot be restored to 90 percent within three days, the draft says.
Once the Central Emergency Operations Center gives the order, the NCC is to notify telecom operators to initiate the function.
The roaming period would be limited to 30 days, but could end sooner if more than 90 percent of damaged base stations in the area are restored.
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