Association of Mobile Network Operators (APMS), which includes the Big Three operators, sent a letter to the Prime Minister and the Ministers of Industry, Interior, Finance and Defense. Operators want telecom networks to be seen as key components of a country’s critical infrastructure. They should be included when preparing scenarios for possible reduction or redistribution of energy supplies. According to the operators, they are eagerly watching the dramatic development of the situation in the energy market.
Operators often state that the state’s approach to communications is paternalistic. Although it is a major sector and operating requirements are dictated by laws, there is a lack of support from the state.
“We provide an important service in the form of communications. If we lose electricity, we will only be able to provide this service to a certain extent. We back up data centers with batteries and diesel generators. The rest of the network, which includes more than five thousand transmitters, is powered by batteries. , but it cannot be powered by diesel and generators on all transmitters. We need the state to help increase infrastructure resilience and cooperate with us in resolving crisis situations,” For example, Vodafone’s Vice President for Legal Affairs, Risk Management and Corporate Security described Luba Jean Claude.
“Telecommunications is a great priority and almost nothing will happen without us. The state does not have a comprehensive plan to prepare for crises,” Claude added. “The blackout can happen even without a war in Ukraine and it is not only theoretical. It is not a question of if, but when. Also last year, according to energy experts, we came close to blackouts in the Czech Republic as well, due to instability in the European electricity system.”
The APMS report reads as follows:
As a consortium of a major part of the telecommunications sector, we unanimously request the Government of the Czech Republic to consider telecom network operators and telecom service providers as a key component of critical national infrastructure when preparing scenarios to reduce or ultimately redistribute energy supply. We therefore strongly advocate that the telecom sector be included in the highest level of protection when determining consumption levels.
Telecommunications is a sector essential to the operation of the economy, society and, last but not least, the state’s integrated rescue services.
It is pertinent to note that our industry is dependent on electricity and any power outages will also result in disruption of APMS members’ communications networks and unavailability of services. Although electricity is logically a major cost component in the costs of APMS members, the consumption of electricity by the electronic communications sector is not significant in the national perspective. Thus, the social and economic impact of the potential interruption of telecommunication services will be incomparably worse than measures to ensure the availability of energy for the electronic communication sector.
In recent months and years, the telecommunications sector has clearly demonstrated its responsibility and partnership towards the Czech state and its citizens in crisis situations. Whether during the Covid-19 epidemic, during the Moravian cyclone, the outbreak of a wave of refugees from Ukraine or during the recent disaster in Czech Switzerland, mobile operators immediately boosted and adjusted their coverage and services so that the state could provide emergency services. Citizens can keep in touch.
