Populating the Infrastructure Database

OpenBTS is very cool but from my reading of their blog, it's not ready for prime time. It doesn't appear to run and a standardized hardware set either. It does show a lot of promise though. OpenBTS is one of those projects worth attention.
ion and funding. I think something along the lines of the STI super micro cell might work better. But the BST backhauls to satellite which run the OPEX way up.
I wrote this from my phone btw.

I have no idea. But here's my guess.
What people need is the basic health/safety, and logistics stuff that can be broad cast over rebuilt or rapidly deployed FM radio stations. But this is pretty one way. And it requires that you have a working FM radio receiver.
After that two way addressable voice communications (land or wireless telephony). But depending on how out your telecom infrastructure is this is a tricky one.
UHF/VHF radio has a place in all this but it's technical complexity can make it a hurdle and it doesn't scale well.

Things like rapid deployment cell towers exist (COWS, Cell on Wheels) though people may not be able to power their phones (more hand cranked cell chargers needed)
I don't know of any lightweight deployable cell phone networks, which would be the awesome solution..

Hi there,

I would like to check if anyone can help shed light on: (a) the kind(s) of ICT needs that the distressed and dispalced people of a disaster might require, esp when the local power and communications grid of an area/country has been disabled; and (b) if there are solutions already developed that enable the people to still communicate and be aware of what's going on.