SMART TELECOMMUNICATIONS TAKES 1ST PLACE IN NATIONAL EMERGENCY

SMART INTERNET MOVES INTO FIRST PLACE SERVING BELIZE THE NATION

There are reports that outside of the National Emergency area zone, hit by Hurricane Richard, with a swath of Category 1 Hurricane winds, that SMART lost cell phone coverage down in the Southern part of the country, from Placentia South. Within the Hurricane NATIONAL EMERGENCY AREA we were able to talk to Bogota, Colombia by SMART cellphone and reassure my wife´s brother, visiting his girlfriend and getting some dental work done ( the savings pays for half the plane ticket over Western Belize Dental prices )that everything was okay.
Of the FOUR internet providers in Belize, BTL used to be Number 1, but fell into 2nd place during the Hurricane NATIONAL Emergency, as the hurricane Northern sector, from the hurricane EYEWALL, moved West South West across the heaviest populated area of the country. When BEL the Electricity provider shut down, as the small hurricane eye wall strongest winds moved Westward in a swath of high winds; on the internet scene, telecommunications continued to be provided by SMART MODEM wireless connection. BTL disappeared from the scene with the electricity collapse. Cayo Cable also collapsed when the BEL electricity was shut. Twelve hours later, the BWS water supply also was shut off.
THE NATIONAL HURRICANE EMERGENCY lasted about 18 hours and during that time within the destructive path area of Hurricane Richard, only SMART telecommunications kept any semblance of ability to serve the public. Ability to use SMART internet wireless internet depended a lot on whether you had your own generator or not. At least half of the commercial establishments, including Super Markets and Banks had their own emergency generator systems. Businesses were open the next morning afterward, as usual, despite the lack of electricity, water and other infra-structure. Others used DEEP CYCLE battery storage, supplying current to computers through INVERTERS. These in turn were charged either by solar panels, BEL electricity mains - battery chargers, or windmills.
Hurricane Richard hit landfall in the port down on the coast about late afternoon, early evening. By 1 a.m. the Hurricane storm winds had passed into Guatemala and history. BTL telecommunications, Water ( BWS ) and BEL the electricity provider were down from 8:30 p.m. in the evening until late the next day. About 17 hours. SMART telecommunications in the Western Belize area continued for most of this time. Computer run businesses were able to function as normal the next morning a regular business day,until in the early evening electricity was restored, using SMART telecommunications. BTL came up on service shortly thereafter (17 hours off )after regular electricity was restored and the water supply BWS came back on about 14 hours later than that, the next morning. Some Supermarkets stayed closed Monday, due to lacking backup generators to save the perishable food stock in banks of wall freezers and coolers.

SMART TELECOMMUNICATIONS for preparedness and the NATIONAL EMERGENCY controlled by LORD ASHCROFT became the Number 1 provider for the country of Belize, for which we are thankful BTL the second rung provider came in second. If there was a scorecard, we would rate SMART 90% and BTL 45%. Cayo Cable tied to the electricity system was a no show and as also FAST INTERNET a new company just applying for a telecommunications licence nationwide also a no show.

SCORECARD SMART CONTROLLED BY LORD ASHCROFT - FIRST PLACE!
BTL CONTROLLED BY PRIME MINISTER DEAN BARROW, FAMILY AND PARTY PEOPLE, - 2ND.