Considerations and suggestions on improvement of communication network disaster countermeasures after the wenchuan earthquake

This article, by analyzing the damage on the communication network caused by the Wenchuan Earthquake, and the priorities of the communication restoration construction, points out that in the future emphasis shall be laid on construction of the emergency communication capability by providing priority service functions for the public switched telephone network, and attaching importance to wireless communications. It also proposes the priorities of the post-disaster network planning and construction, as well as a study on the future-oriented disaster countermeasures of networks and technologies. An earthquake measuring 8 on the Richter scale struck Wenchuan County of Aba Prefecture of Sichuan Province at 2:28:04 pm of May 12, 2008. The terrible catastrophe posed an all-round test to China in terms of disaster management, a test not only on the emergency response capability of all government departments, but also on the abilities of the whole society and ordinary citizens to deal with a catastrophe. It especially put the emergency capability and fast response capability of the communication sector, the Life Line, to a severe test.