India’s leading mobile service provider Vodafone today said that it has initiated several measures to support the relief and rehabilitation work being done by the central and state Governments in regions of Odisha ravaged by cyclone Phailin, in order to provide assistance to affected people.

Vodafone has installed an ‘Insta Network’ in record time in Chhatrapur in the Ganjam district where the sites were down since Saturday (12th October) afternoon. With ‘Insta Network‘ an instant and portable cell site (mobile tower) can be installed by using 4 nos of 12V car batteries and can be run by 5KVA Petrol Genset. This is like a network from a Box. This portable site powered with Flexi Multiradio 10 Base Station can offer mobile network coverage with in 3-4 km area.

Further, as part of its disaster relief efforts, Vodafone has also undertaken the following initiatives:

• Installed Multi Plug sockets at the sites of all affected areas so that people can charge their phones easily
• Arranged for coverage supported by 5 mobile vans, each with a minimum of 50 charging sockets. These vans will travel to the cyclone and flood affected areas enabling citizens to charge their cell phones and keep in touch with their near and dear ones.
• Made Chota credit service available to all its customers, who can take credit by dialing *130 #. Using *130# Customers can transfer balance to their friends and relatives.
• Provided information to customers on our call centre on 111 about district wise shelters home or Govt. disaster management helpline etc.
• Ensured that existing main sites at Gopalpur and Paradip were also made operational

The cyclone prompted India’s biggest evacuation in 23 years with more than 9.00,000 people moved up from the coastline in Odisha to safer places.With Odisha bearing the brunt of ‘Phailin’ and its impact in disrupting millions of lives.

Vodafone has taken steps to improve connectivity…one of the key factors to ensure normalcy in times like this.