C&W to use post hurricane drone technology
Drones can be used to assess damage after a hurricane
(CNS Business): With hurricane season just around the corner, telecoms provider Cable & Wireless Communications (C&W) is investigating the use of drone technology as an approach to restoring network communication during the aftermath of a natural disaster, making them the first to introduce drone surveillance in the region. Adopting this type of technology, official said, would allow them to respond to customer needs in a better, safer and faster manner.
A drone, which is a mini piloting device that is equipped with a camera, would be able to get an aerial view of the damage and eliminate the need for company personnel to have to do risky tower climbs to assess the impact of the storm. Cable & Wireless has begun to test the technology to not only make it safer for field technicians to fix the issues but also allow expert engineering staff to move quickly restore the problem and re-establish connectivity in a time of need.
“Hurricanes and tropical storms have been known to cause severe damage to telecoms infrastructure in the Caribbean, including our mobile and fibre masts,” said Carlo Alloni, Group Chief Technology and Information Officer. “Along with power and water, it is critical that we re-establish communications swiftly in the event that adverse weather conditions cause wide-spread service disruption. With communications as a linchpin for such relief efforts, we take our role in the recovery process very seriously.”
With similar drone surveillance programmes to be launched in other markets ahead of the hurricane season, C&W is the first company to pioneer the use of drones for such a purpose in Anguilla.
“Our customers are relying on us to keep them connected, and at the very least to reconnect them swiftly with family, friends and the wider community should a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, impact our services,” explained John Reid, President of the Consumer group of C&W that currently operates both the Flow and LIME brands. He added, “It is our duty to maintain those connections, ensure minimal disruption in the wake of natural disasters, and find other ways to be innovative and deploy technology as a problem-solver.”
Reid stated it is all about utilising leading-edge technology and demonstrating our commitment to the customers’ well-being and service experience.
“We recognise the importance of using technology to find creative solutions to whatever problems come our way,” he said. Reid explained, “The use of drone technology to mitigate the effects of our natural adversaries is just the beginning of an exciting new chapter at C&W and the refreshed Flow brand that we hope to operate in all markets in the region.”
Category: Technology
