Life lines at Lake Victoria A communications project executed by Zain, Ericsson and GSMA Development Fund
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Contents CONTENTS............................... 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................... 4 THE LAKE VICTORIA PROJECT.............. 5 CONTEXT................................ 5 PROJECT DESCRIPTION................... 7 BACKGROUND............................ 7 IMPLEMENTATION......................... 7 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS....... 10 page. 3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Lake Victoria Project is a joint project between the Zain Group, Ericsson and the GSMA Development Fund implemented in conjunction with the National Lake Rescue Institute (NLRI). The primary aim of the project is to enable improved safety on Lake Victoria but it will also play a major role in fostering economic growth in the Lake Victoria basin. The project covers the three East African countries Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The Project was based on the East African Community (EAC) finding, that a self-sustaining GSM based maritime communication solution would be the optimal technology to implement. The Lake Victoria Project includes extending the mobile network coverage of the three East African States and delivering a proof of concept for a safety and security initiative. The coverage will comprise the area of the lake where 80 percent of fishing activities take place, allowing communication and SMS exchange to and from phones. MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS: An extension to Zain s existing telecom infrastructure, by installing an additional 21 new mobile sites in Uganda and Tanzania. The coverage comprises the area of the lake where 80 percent of fishing activities take place and the majority of navigation-related accidents occur. Ericsson hybrid- and solar solutions are being used where access to the electricity grid is limited or nonexistent. These solutions use a special battery that can take an increased number of charges, cutting diesel consumption by 50 percent and resulting in smaller environmental footprint and reduced costs. Data connectivity using EDGE technology allows implementation of Value Added Services, such as e-mail, money transfer and market billboards. A mobile network equipped with Ericsson Mobile Positioning system enables the location of emergency calls, to support Search and Rescue services (SAR). A 110 rescue number reserved for Lake Victoria Maritime emergency communication. An Emergency Command and Control product from Ericsson was deployed to handle emergency response. A Search and Rescue service model tailored for the Great Lakes region developed and tested by the National Lake Rescue Institute (NLRI). supported areas: An education and accident prevention program used at the fish landing sites reducing accidents on the lake. A life vest designed and manufactured using local material only. It is cheaper and more reliable than imported models, which is a key factor for it to be used. A cost effective model providing Safety, Health, Communication, Banking, Environmental and Resource Management at the Lake Victoria. page. 4
THE LAKE VICTORIA PROJECT CONTEXT Lake Victoria, which covers an area of approximately 68,800 km, has 3,700 km of coast line and includes numerous islands, of which about 200 are inhabited. Lake Victoria is the second largest lake in the world with nearly 200,000 fishermen and 35 million people living along its borders. Over 700,000 tonnes of fish is fished annually, worth US$400 million. 51% of the lake falls within Tanzanian territory and 6% within Kenyan territory and 43% within Ugandan territory. There are some large urban areas that border the lake but for the most part you will only find small villages and landing sites, populated by fishing communities. Fishing is normally carried out in small wooden boats with two to three fishermen where of 65% operate with no engine. According to a 2007 survey from Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation (LVFO) a 200% growth of small-engined boats is seen. Whether fishing activities are carried out during the day or night, deep into the lake or close to the shore, depends on the type of fish that is being caught. This determines what method is used for catching the fish. According to Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO), there are over 50,000 registered fishing boats on the lake, of which 16,500 originates in Uganda. The Lake is also extensively used for transport and trade purposes. There are a few big ferries, transport boats and oil tankers, but most of the goods transported between landing sites is carried out by big, open, wooden motorized boats (between 4 and 10 tons). Weather conditions can change suddenly and strong winds can occur without much warning. Boats are often overloaded, most people can t swim and buoyancy or life saving equipment is not easily available. As a result many lives are lost due to drowning in the lake (estimated 5,000 deaths per year). Data collected by National Lake Rescue Institute (NLRI) shows that for every fisherman that dies, on average four to five dependants are left behind without an income. page. 5
In this context, mobile communication has a great potential to make a difference. Reduce loss of life: GSM, with 46% subscriptions in Sub-Saharan Africa, is the optimal technology for connectivity on the lake, requiring investment limited to the integration of search and rescue technology. Avoidance of casualties is dependent on both a sustainable network for communication and a well functioning Search and Rescue operation (SAR). Improve socio-economic welfare: Mobile connectivity has been found to improve the local communities business possibilities when used as a tool for micro business related to telecom, such as battery charge sales. Value added services enable sellers and buyers to find each other which could be used for both goods and labor. SMS services like commodity price updates, weather alerts and money transfers. Data network service that can be used by e.g. health organizations to conduct surveys and collect data with minimized loss of quality and time to analysis. Stimulate sustainable green activities: Mobile networks can be powered by carbon-neutral power solutions, such as solar and wind. Information, data collection and surveys related to sustainable strategies could be disseminated through the network, promoting a more sustainable fishing industry. page. 6
PROJECT DESCRIPTION BACKGROUND In 2005 the East African Community and Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) commissioned a technical feasibility study carried out by Scanbi Invest. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and recommend a technology for a maritime communications system for Lake Victoria. The main recommendations of the study were to implement the following: A GSM network adapted to meet the special maritime requirements. GSM was selected as the most optimal technology in this environment for multiple reasons. One important element being the limited investment required for the many potential users of the network on the lake in comparison with other technologies. One Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) for all three countries to perform both the functions of receiving emergency calls and directing rescue operations. Because of the clear potential to improve the wellbeing of thousands of people, because of the important role to be played by the telecommunications industry and because of their belief in the viability of the idea, three key actors in the telecom sector, the GSMA Development Fund, Ericsson, and Zain mobilized and launched the implementation of improved mobile network coverage. IMPLEMENTATION Mobile network coverage This figure shows the new and existing Zain sites that are part of the Maritime GSM Network. Pilot of a rescue coordination centre With the GSM network in place, a proof of concept for a pilot Rescue Coordination Centre was completed. This proof of concept included: Providing a way to locate emergency calls, i.e. a positioning system for people in distress. Providing a way to connect the emergency call with the rescue service and to coordinate rescue activities. Installing needed applications at the Search and Rescue Services centre in Bunga, Uganda. Demonstrating a proof of concept end to end rescue service. In 2008 the network implementation phase started. The goal was to deliver an expanded coverage of Lake Victoria covering those areas where the bulk of commercial activity took place. Person in Distress Emergency Number 110 GSM Antenna Pqrt of the Lqke Victoriq Maritime Network Identification of the MSISDN (phone number) Positioning system enable with CELLID and TA ZAIN Switch MPS Server CoordCom Server By August 2009, coverage of the Lake Victoria shore by the Zain mobile network was greatly improved by the addition of 21 new mobile radio sites. Three of the new mobile sites are solar powered (island sites off the shore of Tanzania). There is now lake communication coverage for the area where about 80% of activity occurs. This coverage allows for voice and data communication and services between mobile phone users and other devices. The network supports data transport through EDGE and is equipped with a mobile positioning system aimed to be used for rescue operations. Mobile Rescue Unit Local communication Local communication system VHF Rescue Communication Overview Source; Ericsson l NLRI HQ Emergency Operator answering and coordinating the rescue intervention page. 7
Mobile Positioning System The Mobile Positioning System (MPS) is a corner stone of the Lake Victoria project. With the GSM network in place, the system provides crucial information to a vast panel of services including search and rescue, fleet movement and tracking. The network positioning system also supports GPS, which requires a special handset. Two technologies for positioning are in use: The first one is based on GSM network E-CGI and CGITA technology and provides fair accuracy using common mobile phone devices. The second one based on A-GPS provides very accurate information but requires a GPS compatible handset. In Uganda 45 sites have been included in the network positioning system. Every emergency call from a Zain phone to the 110 number in the area covered by these antennas will be located. The technology used in Uganda is E-CGI. The mobile positioning system is ready and was demonstrated for rescue purposes in January 2010. Architecture of Mobile Positioning System The figure describes the architecture of the system. A global platform, located in Nairobi, Kenya calculates the coordinates of an emergency call. On the Zain network, this platform is the single point of entry to any request from the three countries and will return the coordinates of the call. Command and control centre The main component used to efficiently respond to an emergency call is the Rescue Command and Control solution (CoordCom) from Ericsson. The technical components of the emergency response were trialed by an end-to-end proof of concept. The equipment needed has been set up at the National Lake Rescue Institute (NLRI) Rescue Center in Bunga, Uganda. The Rescue Command and Control solution is the centre piece of the emergency response framework, as it is linked to the 110 emergency number and interfaces with the network positioning system. The entire architecture can be consolidated to operate in multiple geographical sites, as the operational maritime emergency response on Lake Victoria. Mobile Positioning System Architecture Uganda Kenya Zain Inter-country 5ST Tanzania Source; Ericsson page. 8
CoordCom controls and co-ordinates the entire chain of emergency activities, from handling and identifying an incoming emergency call, to dispatching the Search and Rescue (SAR) unit to the emergency site. CoordCom also enables analysis of the emergency effort to improve future actions. The figure describes all the components of the proof of concept. The scope includes the following: Receiving an emergency call from a person in danger at the emergency call centre. Visualizing the location of the call on the Command and Control CoordCom Product Launching of the mobile rescue unit. Monitoring of the movement of the mobile rescue unit. The mobile rescue unit will be equipped with a A-GPS system. Interaction with other organizations to provide medical assistance using the CoordCom multi channel capabilities. Closing of the mission when the person has been rescued. Emergency response solution Interface between all components The figure describes the detailed communication between Uganda and Kenya when an emergency call occurs in Uganda. Search and rescue services The NLRI operates a small independent water-borne SAR service and provides lakeside education and training, as well as supporting local entrepreneurial groups at landing sites in Uganda. NLRI is the only independent water-borne SAR service operating on the Great Lakes and rivers of East Africa and is officially recognized by the East African Community (EAC). The NLRI headquarters hosts a training centre, a life jacket manufacturing facility and it is also used to support education and flotation programs. The NLRI headquarters in Bunga, Uganda hosted the pilot where all the components of a Rescue Coordination Centre operation model for the Great Lakes region were tested. Emergency Response Solution Overview Uganda 5 Kenya SMPC Cluster SS7 6 SS7 Zain Inter-country SS7 SS7 BSC Abis 1 MSC 2 110 Request for position of caller PSTN GMPC Cluster CoordCom 3 4 MLP Protocol / ELIR, SLIR messages (XML over IP) 7 Source; Ericsson page. 9
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS This is the final report for the connectivity implementation and search and rescue technology and capability demonstration. As the targets were delivered, the project was closed March 1st 2010. We welcome this report s findings to be used for further refinement and creation of a sustainable search and rescue operation at Lake Victoria. The findings are just as applicable to other waterways in East Africa and beyond that lack search and rescue systems. The partner recommendation for next step includes: Secure funding or a business model for a sustainable operational organization for search and rescue on Lake Victoria. Expand the search and rescue concept to provide rescue capabilities in as large area of Lake Victoria as possible. Connect the search and rescue organization with waterand environmental training for people living at the lake. page. 10
ZAIN Zain is a leading telecommunications operator across the Middle East and Africa providing mobile voice and data services to over 72.5 million active customers as of 31 December 2009 with a commercial presence in 23 countries. Zain is listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange with a market capitalisation of over US$20 billion. For more information please visit www.zain.com GSMA Development Fund Working with mobile operators to accelerate mobile solutions for people living on under US$2 per day. The GSMA Development Fund exists to accelerate economic, social and environmental development through the use of mobile technology. We believe that providing tangible, accessible mobile services to people in developing countries is invaluable to society and can help improve people s lives. Lake Rescue The National Lake Rescue Institute is a non-governmental organization launched in 2002 as a result of several major accidents and incidents on Lake Victoria in Africa. Death rate on the waters of Lake Victoria is estimated to be around 5000 annually. The vision is now to improve the livelihoods of people in the region through safety and security of all users of the lake as well as other inland waters, provided by education and training and an independent search and rescue service among others. Ericsson Ericsson is the world s leading provider of technology and services to telecom operators. Ericsson is the leader in 2G, 3G and 4G mobile technologies, and provides support for networks with over 2 billion subscribers and has the leading position in managed services. Working in 175 countries, Ericsson is advancing its vision of being the prime driver in an all-communicating world through innovation, technology, and sustainable business solutions. page. 11
Life lines at Lake Victoria