FCC: Still Much Communications Work To Do In Haiti

On February 18, the Federal Communications Commission outlined its ongoing efforts to help earthquake-ravaged Haiti.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said it would be essential to continue to help restore the country's communications system, in some cases from scratch, to a country where a third of the population (3 million) has been affected and over 230,000 people have died. The chairman said mobile networks are now almost 100% operational, but only a third of TV stations are up and running, and wireline communications are still down in the country's capital.

Mendel De La Torre, chief of the international bureau, said U.S. industries have been particularly helpful in their effort. She said that immediately after the Jan. 12 earthquake, only one communications network was operational, and it went dark within hours from lack of fuel. FCC activities included staffers involved in rescue and recovery, coordinating with international organizations and identify needs and resources to meet them, to be a "matchmaker" as it were, most recently with the broadcast community there.