TRA Benchmarks UK Cabinet Office on Telecom Sector Best Practices for Emergency and Crisis Preparedness

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) discussed best practices relating to the role of the telecoms sector during emergencies and crisis situations in a recent meeting held with UK Cabinet Office representatives.   The main objective of this meeting was to develop the existing plans and capabilities of the TRA in relation to emergency management and to benchmark best practices with the UK Cabinet Office concerning this sector.
H.E. Mohamed Nasser Al Ghanim, TRA Director General commented, “The TRA is well aware of the significance of its role in ensuring that we not only have a working plan in place, but also realize the importance of exercising a high level of maintenance on that plan; it is a forefront initiative of the TRA to develop the existing plan. That is, we are continually benchmarking, exchanging knowledge, and reviewing the emergency plans we have in place in order to carry out the best international standard practice should a situation arise that requires action and leadership from the telecoms sector. ”
Organized by the National Emergencies and Crisis Management Authority (NCEMA), the UAE was represented by TRA delegates Eng. Saif Bin Ghelaita (DTS) and Eng. Mohammed Al Ramsi (DI&S). The meeting covered major topics including the resilience of the telecom sector in the UK, the role of the UK telecom regulator during emergencies, cyber security, and how to deal with critical infrastructure. The British delegation shared experiences from several crises they have faced during the past few years; discussing how the telecommunications sector reacted to them.
“The TRA makes great effort to ensure that our practices are on par with international best practice, and the role the telecom sector during emergencies and crises is no exception.  Cooperating with international bodies in this regard is one of the many ways that we assess our efforts and ensure a full spectrum of knowledge and understanding pertaining to the subject at hand.  As evidenced through our recent announcement on the official launch of the National Emergency Plan for the telecom sector, this meeting is a testament to our ongoing efforts,” he continued.
The National Emergency Plan, which identifies the threats which might affect the telecom sector, is designed to address emergency issues that impact or could impact the telecom infrastructure.  As discussed in this recent meeting with the UK Cabinet Office, the resilience of the telecom sector during an emergency is crucial; appropriate measures need to be undertaken to ensure that networks perform reliably when a threat is encountered.  On discussing the role of the telecom sector during an emergency, outlining the actions deemed necessary as well as the department tasked with carrying out emergency response actions must be clearly identified for an efficient and effective method of crisis resolution.
The UK Cabinet Office also organized a meeting for the UAE delegation with one of the telecommunications operators in the UK, in addition to arranging a meeting with Ofcom, the UK telecommunication regulatory authority. The meetings discussed several issues and procedures taken by the sector during crises and emergencies.
Additionally, the issue of cyber security was addressed. Cyber security is a high priority risk that has been given significant credence in recent years due to the ever increasing numbers of internet users, and in turn the higher likelihood of threat to its security as a result.  These issues brought into the fore by the TRA delegates and the UK Cabinet Office offered a diverse perspective on proper methodology to bring about the most effective actions in curtailing threats and managing breaches of security.