Hurricane Ike | Galveston Island

September 15 - October 1, 2008

An AT&T NDR satellite COLT (cell on light truck) providing wireless service
on the Bolivar Peninsula east of Galveston Island, TX.

AT&T NDR team members and local AT&T technicians set up a satellite COLT (cell on light truck) at Galveston's UTMB (University of Texas at Matagorda Bay) Hospital on Sunday, September 14, and configured it to provide optimized coverage for the hospital. The COLT remained in service until the fixed site on top of the hospital was back on the air on Saturday, September 20, 2008.

The team deployed a second satellite COLT on September 14 at Ball High School (Galveston) where the Texas Department of Public Safety had established its EOC for the island. That unit provided voice and EDGE data coverage until Sunday, September 21, when it was moved to provide service to a DPS checkpoint on I-45 coming onto the island. That unit remained in service until October 1, 2008. In total, NDR managed the deployment of five satellite COLTs and one satellite COW from Sugarlands to Galveston Island, TX.

NDR deployed a small command center, two ECVs and five personnel to provide command and communications to the local wireless recovery team at a temporary deployment site in Pasadena, TX. The team also provided a total of 24 hops of 5.8 unlicensed microwave that was critical to the recovery of the backhaul from the cell sites on Galveston and Bolivar Islands.

On Sunday, September 14, NDR began deploying team members and equipment to recover a small central office on Galveston Island that was inundated by Ike's storm surge. On Tuesday, September 16, the Galveston team set up a command center, an ECV, an access trailer and a tool/supply trailer at the Galveston/Sherwood office. Local technicians and network SMEs began installation and turn-up work in the NDR access trailer on Tuesday afternoon. Through-service at the office was restored early on Wednesday morning, September 17.

On Thursday, September 18, NDR transitioned responsibility for its equipment to the local AT&T workforce. Three NDR team members remained on site until Wednesday, September 24, to support the ECV and the CC and to assist with restoration work in the central office.

An AT&T Satellite COLT providing wireless connectivity at Galveston's
UTMB Hospital on September 14, 2008.

 

NDR set up a satellite COLT to provide wireless service for an
Emergency Operations Center established by the Texas
Department of Public Safety on Galveston Island, TX.
September 14, 2008.

 

An NDR technology recovery trailer arriving on Galveston Island, TX.
September 16, 2008.

 

NDR Operations Team members positioning a command center at an
AT&T Network office on Galveston Island, TX. September 16, 2008.

 

NDR recovery equipment on Galveston Island, TX. September 16, 2008.

 

NDR Emergency Communications Vehicles (ECVs) at the recovery site
on Galveston Island, TX. September 17, 2008.

 

NDR recovery equipment on Galveston Island, TX. September 18, 2008.

 

A satellite COLT providing service for a Texas Department of Public Safety
checkpoint on I-45. September 20, 2008.