Over 126 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance globally, including 70 million who are forcibly displaced. Governments and the global community are stressing the significance of on-time medical and humanitarian responses. Satellite communication plays a critical role in this context, acting as a key enabler of operations in remote and austere environments with little to no infrastructure. While satcom phones and portable modems have long been of service to first responders, their functionality is insufficient to support the growing demands for higher bandwidth dictated by the digitalisation of humanitarian operations. Network management solutions, powered by satcom, define the future of the aid sector.
Hybrid Solutions for Uninterrupted Connectivity
Some humanitarian missions, such as mobile clinics are constantly on the move. In urban areas, they can rely on GSM coverage, but many rural communities have limited or no access to terrestrial networks. In these instances, solutions such as rapid network deployment enable humanitarian teams to remain connected no matter where their mission takes them with automatic seamless switching between GSM and satellite networks. Moreover, the hybrid terminal optimises consumption by switching to the satellite back-up channel only in case other networks are out of reach. This least cost routing empowers humanitarian teams to focus on their missions without a bill shock at the end of the month.
Rapid Network Deployment in Remote Areas
The first 72 hours post any crises are very important. Frontline workers need to be able to respond immediately and effectively to mitigate the wider secondary impacts of any crises. Solutions, such as RDK, were developed to address these critical needs of the sector. A portable suitcase includes a lightweight terminal by Thuraya as well as OneGate Aid Compact, a network management system by IEC Telecom. This solution provides field missions with a VSAT-like experience. Equipped with bandwidth optimisation and advanced filtration tools, RDK offers a user experience upto 2+ Mbps, which allows first responders to take full advantage of digitalisation, including videoconferencing and remote maintenance, as soon as they initiate relief operations.
Empowered E-Health Programs and Telemedicine
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the global telemedicine industry was expected to grow by 15% during this decade due to two growth factors – the quick adoption of telemedicine to provide healthcare to underserved populations in emerging markets as well as the increasing penetration of smartphones in both developing and developed regions across the world. Now, not only does the World Bank report that growth to have accelerated to 19.3% with a projected value of $175.5 billion[i], a Fortune Business Insights report predicts the market to rise 23.5% between 2019 and 2016[ii]. In the humanitarian sector, this means that satellite technologies can extend the scope of telemedicine to remote areas and empower e-health programs and locally-stationed doctors to easily transfer electronic health records, view X-rays and digital images, and hold voice or video advisory sessions with healthcare professionals based in any clinic across the world.
Network Management Systems for Camp Administration
With an estimated average lifespan of a refugee camp being 17 years long, communication needs become as essential as food or medical supplies. Ensuring the right level of access and traffic prioritization are both critical to maintain sustainable connectivity for evolving administration needs from housing and food distribution to education, medicine, and waste management. Newly developed satcom solutions, such as OneGate Aid, enable the smooth operation of camp administration, keep track of both people and assets, and facilitate the exchange of high data volumes between camp units and headquarters via DSL-like broadband connectivity. Not only can relief teams join video conferences and get a VPN connection, such digital network management systems keep corporate and private communication environments separate to ensure cyber security and unfailing back-up systems.
Welfare Programs for Camp Inhabitants
According to a UNHCR report, refugees often spend upto a third of their disposable incomes on staying connected. It’s no surprise as the Internet remains their only window to the world. Access to news, social media, and instant messaging applications enable socialisation and give refugees a chance towards adapting and integrating better in the “world outside the camp” in the future. However, the same report also states that 7% of refugee communities lack the requisite digital infrastructure for internet access and 31% can rely only on 2G. Network management solutions, such as OneGate Aid, are specially designed to provide connectivity to such remote camps. Using Wi-Fi enablers, the satellite signal can be spread across the camp so that inhabitants can connect to the Internet on their own devices.
Remote Maintenance
With increasing demands for high-speed connectivity and more bandwidth, access to regular maintenance and technical support has become even more indispensable. Moreover, strict quarantine measures and movement restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic have severely challenged the global communications infrastructure. Fortunately, new generation network management systems allow remote maintenance at affordable costs. Such cloud-based solutions not only enable remote updates and upgrades of virtual systems, but also help to reduce costs associated with onsite maintenance, staff logistics, and the purchase of additional hardware.
Digital network management systems are actively supporting humanitarian missions in their important work no matter what part of the world they operate in.Whether on the move, or stationed in a camp, relief workers can rely on satcom channel for continuity of their critical operations.
[i] https://blogs.worldbank.org/digital-development/after-coronavirus-telemedicine-here-stay
[ii] https://apnews.com/wired-release/3f837862779cd92ae8146ff5aee6f8ec
