FEATURE: SATELLITE NETWORKS
How do satellite networks contribute to building more resilient and inclusive digital infrastructure across Africa?
Connectivity is the backbone of inclusion. Satellite networks bridge the gap between urban command centres and isolated communities, ensuring that digital tools for education, healthcare and administration can reach everyone. Through LEO-enabled connectivity, schools in rural areas can access distance learning, clinics can use telemedicine platforms, and local governments can participate in digital reporting systems. This ecosystem creates transparency and accountability while strengthening the capacity of local
CONNECTIVITY IS THE BACKBONE OF INCLUSION. actors to lead their own development. In that sense, satellite technology is not just enabling communication – it’ s building the foundations for long-term digital resilience across the continent.
What security and reliability measures are essential when deploying satellite connectivity for humanitarian or emergency response operations?
Visibility and situational awareness are critical for field security. With personnel often dispersed across vast and isolated areas, humanitarian organisations need tools that enable them to track deployments in real time and respond instantly when conditions change. Satellite-enabled tracking systems make this possible, allowing co-ordination centres to monitor team movements, establish geofences, and send push notifications or alerts whenever staff enter or leave designated zones. Two-way messaging via satellite channel ensures immediate communication, even when terrestrial networks fail, enabling teams
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