Last week, the tragedy that occurred across the North Coast of São Paulo, as a result of heavy rains, took the news due to the various victims caused by landslides.
With the difficulties of rescuing people who were buried, a technological alternative emerged to assist in the operations of the Fire Department and the Civil Defense of the State of São Paulo: the use of Anatel equipment to search for a cell phone signal.
But how does this device work and what is its contribution to helping other forces in the search for victims? Detective TudoCelular explains it to you now.
security
22 Fev
economy and market
10 Fev
technology type
The equipment used consists of a high-performance spectrum analyzer, accompanied by a directive antenna. With this set, the Anatel inspector is able to identify when there is transmission of electromagnetic waves and which is the direction of the signal, when pointing to the area of occurrence.
In other words, firefighters and Civil Defense will have information that, in a given location, there is a cell phone signal – where a victim may be buried nearby. With the detection made, the search becomes more targeted, using sniffer dogs and manual digging.
“Anatel, with this equipment, plays a fundamental role in the search for people who are buried and in saving lives. It is an example that we can always do more and that, working together, we can ensure more services for the population. Telebras has already made antennas available to provide internet, operators are committed to improving the signal in the locality and our goal is to improve even more.”
Juscelino Filho
Minister of Communications
Cell phone signal usage
After all, how is it possible to use the cell phone signal to detect victims? The devices constantly emit radio frequency signals, as they look for connection with the transmitting towers.
Anatel inspectors are able to obtain information even without service being available from operators, as was the case with the disaster on the North Coast of São Paulo, when around 6% of networks in the region were impacted by the event.
It is important to point out that this is the first time that radiofrequency signal tracking has been used as a tool to support rescues in locating buried people.
Contribuies
Although the North Coast case was the pioneer in its use to help people underground, this strategy has already brought contributions in other situations. In 2019, when the Andrea building collapsed, in Fortaleza (CE), a similar device was used to try to find survivors.
Anatel also routinely exploits the resource to identify interference in telecom services, whether in personal mobile service, radio and TV transmissions, or broadcasting.
In the most critical moments of the new coronavirus pandemic, a similar technology was also used by operators, but on a large scale. The measure served to monitor agglomeration points, amid social isolation measures, to contain Covid-19.
And then, what is your assessment on the use of this type of equipment from the telecommunications sector to help in the search for disasters like the one on the North Coast? Interact with us!