WHY SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS ARE AN
ESSENTIAL TOOL FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
AND DISASTER RECOVERY
DISASTER AND EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS – SATELLITES ARE KEY
Communications provide the critical path for relief in emergency and disaster situations.
Communications connect and help move logistical, rescue and first responder resources in any region of
the world facing or recovering from natural or man-made disasters.
Deploying wireless communications is typically among the first priorities in any emergency response,
rescue, or relief situation. However, terrestrial wireless equipment (cellular phones or land mobile radios)
is only useful when communications towers and other fixed equipment are in place to connect wireless
equipment to the local and global communications backbone. In the majority of emergency situations, this
infrastructure has either been destroyed by the disaster (e.g. New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina) or was
not available before the disaster (e.g. the earthquake in Pakistan). This reality makes it critical for local
government and emergency workers to have access to a wireless communications network that is not
dependant on terrestrial infrastructure.
Satellite communications provide such a solution. Satellites are the only wireless communications
infrastructure that is not susceptible to damage from disasters, because the main repeaters sending and
receiving signals (the satellite spacecraft) are located outside the Earth’s atmosphere.
Users today have two kinds of satellite communications networks available to support emergency
response activities: geostationary satellite systems (GEO) and low Earth orbit satellites (LEO).
Geostationary (GEO) satellites are located 36,000 km above the Earth in a fixed position and provide
service to a country or a region covering up to one third of the globe. They are capable of providing a full
range of communications services, including voice, video and broadband data. These satellites operate
with ground equipment ranging from very large fixed gateway antennas down to mobile terminals the size
of a cellular phone. There are currently almost 300 commercial GEO satellites in orbit operated by global,
regional and national satellite carriers.
Even before disasters strike, these networks are used in many countries to provide seismic and floodsensing
data to government agencies to enable early warning of an impending situation. Also, they
2
broadcast disaster-warning notices and facilitate general communication and information flow between
government agencies, relief organizations and the public.
LEO satellites operate in orbits between 780 km and 1,500 km (depending on the system) and provide
voice and low speed data communications. These satellites can operate with handheld units about the size
of a large cellular phone. As with handheld terminals that rely upon GEO satellites, the highly portable
nature of LEO-based units makes them another valuable satellite solution for first responders in the field.
In order to most effectively utilize the capabilities of these systems, government agencies, relief
organizations and other first responders must define as far in advance as possible what kind of terminals
they will need to have in the field before and after an emergency. This planning requires an
understanding of the different capabilities of the various system types outlined below.
GETTING EQUIPPED
Satellite technology can provide narrowband and broadband IP communications (Internet, data, video, or
voice over IP) with speeds starting at 64 Kbps from handheld terminals up to 4 Mbps bi-directional from
portable VSAT antennas. Fixed installation can bring the bandwidth up to 40 Mbps. The operation of
these satellite systems and services follows the general topology depicted below:
Solutions using this topology can be used for both advance disaster mitigation services and to support
relief and recovery efforts under three general categories:
1. HANDHELD MOBILE SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
Once a disaster has occurred, local infrastructure – including microwave, cellular and other
communications facilities – are often knocked out, either because towers are destroyed, or because of
electrical failures. In the immediate aftermath of such a disaster, there is one reliable form of
LAN Switch
Gateway or Hub
Antenna
Portable
VSAT
Terminal
Transportable
VSAT
Terminal
Mobile VSAT
Terminal
Fixed
Terminal
Handheld
Terminal
Satellite
3
communications, which is the use of handheld satellite telephone systems provided by mobile satellite
service providers. These systems provide access through very small, cell-phone-sized devices, as well as
pagers and in-vehicle units, similar to those shown below:
Prices for satellite phones can be as low as $40 a week for rental, with purchase prices ranging from under
$400 up to about $2,000. Services are provided on a per-minute basis, as with any mobile telephone
system, and start under a dollar a minute.
2. PORTABLE AND TRANSPORTABLE MOBILE SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
Mobile satellite systems, or terminals used for “communications on the move” include equipment that can
be transported and operated from inside a car, truck or maritime vessel, as well as in helicopters and other
aircraft, including commercial airplanes. This kind of terminal is useful where data-intensive, high-speed
connections are needed on an expedited basis for damage assessment, medical evaluation or other
applications for voice, video and data. Depending on the satellite system and type of equipment, they can
be operational in anywhere from 5-30 minutes usually without expert technical staff, and can be deployed
anywhere. As with communications systems in general, higher satellite terminal prices – whether they are
portable, mobile or fixed – equate to more robust services, higher reliability, faster delivery and a wide
range of other features and options.
3. FIXED SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
Fixed satellite communications terminals would typically be installed in cases where the equipment is
required for longer than one week, including pre-disaster applications – e.g. environmental monitoring,
communications redundancy, etc. – as well as post-disaster recovery operations. Such systems can be
configured to provide everything from low-speed data transmissions up to very broad bandwidth data and
full broadcast-quality video to replace local and national telecommunications infrastructure. Such systems
must be installed by a qualified technical team. To support the installation and deployment of such
systems, satellite companies have developed an industry-standard VSAT Installation & Maintenance
Training Certification Program. For more information, go to www.gvf.org and click on “Training”.
PROCURING BANDWIDTH, INTEGRATION & OTHER SERVICES
There are a number of global satellite carriers operating fleets of geostationary satellites providing mostly
fixed or portable communications, although some are also used for mobile services, including services on
ships and aircraft. There are also a large number of regional and national satellite carriers providing fixed
4
and portable services in Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and
Oceania. In addition, there are several operators of systems providing service to handheld satellite phones
and pagers.
Users have a variety of choices for obtaining access to these satellite services. Handheld mobile satellites
are the simplest, in keeping with the way the systems work. A user needs only to contact one of the many
value added resellers to lease or buy the phone or other devices and sign a service contract. These
companies are readily available through the Internet, and the units can be shipped on an expedited basis.
For portable and fixed VSAT services it is possible to either contact the satellite companies themselves,
or work through one of the wide range of network integrators providing end-to-end communications
services, including VSAT terminals and satellite bandwidth access, on either a global, regional or local
basis. These companies are often registered with local telecommunications regulatory agencies, and most
are GVF members. To access an interactive industry directory, go to www.gvf.org and click on
“Members”.
ADVANCE PLANNING IS KEY
As noted above, long-term advance planning for natural disaster mitigation can be supported by the use of
satellite networks connecting seismic and other environmental sensors to local or national government
agencies. Likewise, fully redundant communications networks supported by backup satellite solutions are
one of the most effective means of assuring operational continuity throughout emergencies and disasters.
Once a disaster is in view, or has struck, having communications equipment on-hand is critical. Planning
to meet the recovery efforts needed for natural or other disasters thus must include advance purchases of
equipment and service contracts for relief workers and others.
Such planning includes having a supply of satellite telephones in stock, either at locations that are at-risk
for major disasters or at distribution centers from which they can be readily dispatched once a hurricane is
forecasted, or immediately after an earthquake strikes.
As a complimentary service to the emergency management and disaster recovery communities, GVF
facilitates contact with – and derivation of competitive quotations from – international satellite
communications companies. This community service is provided by GVF in three ways:
Interactive Online Directory: At www.gvf.org/members, a directory of nearly 200 leading
satellite communications companies is publicly available. The resource includes the full range of
system and service providers: Terminals and sub-systems, bandwidth, integration, legal services
and more. A search function enables visitors to quickly identify the type of solution providers
needed. Contact details are included as well as hyperlinks to each company’s website.
Competitive Tendering: Parties interested in potentially procuring a satellite-based solution are
constantly sending inquiries to GVF, which, in turn, includes them in the GVF Executive Briefing,
a monthly periodical sent out electronically to the global satellite communications industry.
Inquiries range from simple requests for information to highly detailed tender notices. In either
case, contact details are provided so that the industry can respond directly to the inquiring party.
These responses by industry are made in full knowledge that their competitors are also making
contact with the inquiring party, which ensures the provision of competitive pricing. (In cases
where inquiring parties do not want their identity revealed, the GVF Secretariat can field industry
responses and relay them to the inquiring party.) To take advantage of this resource, send your
inquiry to Helen.Jameson@gvf.org
5
Emergency Notices: When disasters strike and advance planning was either inadequate or nonexistent,
rapid response is necessary. During and after disasters, GVF remains on alert to receive
urgent requests for satellite systems and services and to post immediate notices to the
international industry. A wide range of humanitarian and aid organizations regularly take
advantage of this vital resource, including most recently NGOs and agencies involved in the
North African famines, Asian tsunami, earthquake in Pakistan, and more. Send urgent notices to
Helen.Jameson@gvf.org and David.Hartshorn@gvf.org.
Many members of the emergency response and disaster recovery community whose needs would best be
addressed by satellite communications need further information on how to include these solutions in their
operational plans. To optimize satellite-based solutions for your organization’s requirements, information
may be needed on how to:
Ascertain whether satellite does indeed fit your application(s)
Design a satellite network optimized to your requirement(s)
Develop a business plan to sustain the network
Procure a competitively-priced satellite network
Deploy, maintain, operate and – potentially – grow the network
Futron is a GVF Member and provider of decision support consulting services to the government and
businesses in the aerospace and telecommunications industries. Futron’s consulting services include
market and industry analyses, safety and risk management, and communications and information
management. Futron can assist organizations in the emergency management field to plan, evaluate, design
and implement communications solutions.
GVF is a non-profit industry association created to educate governments and enterprises about satellite
communications worldwide. For more detailed information, or to discuss how to proceed to identify
specific solutions, contact Futron or the GVF at the addresses below.
