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Voip to the Rescue
Thursday, June 29, 2006
The same geographic flexibility that makes voip internet phone service such a great option for frequent travelers also allows voip enabled regions to minimize disruption in a disaster, whether natural or man-made.
Because voip phones aren't tied to a specific location, temporary access points can be quickly set up just about anywhere. Floridians in Orange County were able to take advantage of this after Hurricane Charley and other storms knocked out both cell phone and traditional landline communication. County officials packed up their existing voice over IP system and moved it to an abandoned warehouse, creating a makeshift communication center that was deployed in only 24 hours. That kind of turnaround is unheard of with copper-wire telephony.
In Katrina's wake, voip was utilized by Fire, Rescue, and Law Enforcement organizations, FEMA, hospitals, the Department of Defense, and the Red Cross, helping displaced refugees stay connected in the chaos. Everybody involved in the rescue operations benefited from voice over IP. The telephone companies even used satellite based wireless voip to maintain communication when their repair crews were out in the field. That's the power of voip. That's what can happen when you choose current technology over 100 year old methods.
