An informal Technical Reference Group was created within the Ericsson Response program, to provide technical assistance to the International Humanitarian Relief organizations. A group of technical people across Ericsson has taken the initiative to identify needs and to develop technical proposals and applications for more efficient Disaster Response for the relief operations. Participants in the group represent a broad range of technologies and applications within Ericsson.

Many group members have experience of international operations with relief organizations, and a broad technical knowledge, everything from Satellite communication, Cellular and IP networks to Short-wave radio communication.

The Group also invites participants from Relief organizations to the meetings. The group shares their experience and requirements in this specific field of communication needs.

Examples of issues the group is fronted by are:

• Technical solutions for better personal security
• New possibilities with WAP and Mobile Internet
• Local WLAN/Hiperlan networks for information sharing between organizations and mail distribution in the field
• How to build effective Communications & Operations Centers
• How to enhance robustness and quick deployment of transportable Cellular networks, as well as repair of damaged existing telecom infrastructures.

The Group works in co-operation with International Forums, like the Working Group on Emergency Telecommunications, hosted by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The group thereby constitutes an important but informal platform for exchange of Solutions and Experience between the Private Sector and the International Relief organizations to the benefit of the humanity.

IASC Reference Group on Telecommunications (IASC-RGT)

The WGET, convened by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), is an open forum to facilitate the use of telecommunications in the service of humanitarian assistance. It comprises United Nations entities, IFRC, major NGOs, the ICRC, the ITU and experts from the private sector and academia. The WGET usually holds two plenary meetings per year.

- on the Provision of Telecommunication Resources for Disaster Mitigation and Relief Operations

The Tampere Convention was unanimously adopted by the delegations of the 60 States participating in the Intergovernmental Conference on Emergency Telecommunications (ICET-98), in Finland June 1998. The Preamble of the Convention notes the essential role of telecommunications in humanitarian assistance.