FEATURE : TELECOM safety , and extending the reach of aid , particularly in conflict zones .
With 45 % of Africa ’ s population living over 10 km from fibre-optic networks , satellite communications provide reliable , secure coverage , unlocking new opportunities for digitalisation .
Satcom improves the efficiency of humanitarian missions , allowing swift resource mobilisation , crucial in life-saving operations , while directly contributing to improved operational efficiency and cost optimisation . These technologies support relief efforts in areas without reliable cellular service , enabling portable connectivity kits for first responders , drone surveillance , coordination of food distribution and e-learning programmes .
Consequently , access to the high-speed satcom service has remained limited , with only the most active missions connected to the high-speed network .
Nabil Ben Soussia , Group CCO , IEC Telecom
High-speed Internet and mobile connectivity enhance humanitarian operations by expanding reach to a broader range of services in underserved areas . The African Space Industry Annual Report 2019 projects satcom to be valued at US $ 22.64 billion by 2026 , offering significant opportunities for digitalisation and therefore , economic and social development .
Moreover , GSMA ’ s 2024 report states that a 10 % increase in mobile Internet penetration could boost GDP per capita by up to 2.5 % across the continent . By bridging the connectivity gap , humanitarian organisations can reduce the digital divide , providing essential public services like e-health , e-learning , notary services , and legal consultations to underserved communities and aid social development .
The idea of extending digitalisation to underserved areas is not new , yet these efforts have struggled to achieve mass adoption . Humanitarian operations now rely heavily on data access , with most modern applications demanding high-speed , low-latency connectivity . Traditionally , traffic-consuming community apps , such as e-learning or telemedicine , were served by VSAT systems .
With speeds of just 1.5-2 Mbps , legacy VSAT services were limited in the number of digital processes they could support simultaneously . Today , the 220 Mbps satellite networks have significantly expanded the digital spectrum of humanitarian operations .
This limitation is particularly true for vehicular missions , which require satellite capacity only when they carry out operations in remote areas , using GSM for the rest of the time . To keep satellite subscription active for each mobile unit , humanitarian organisations must subsidise unused airtime , a luxury that many not-forprofits cannot sustain .
Moreover , with the increasing frequency of natural disasters and rising geopolitical tensions , humanitarian agencies face immense pressure to prioritise critical missions at the expense of new community development initiatives . In 2023 alone , natural disasters caused $ 250 billion in global losses , with
telecom infrastructure being one of the prime targets of the cataclysms .
There is a way to support both spheres of humanitarian operations . The latest network management solutions are emerging , aimed at unlocking flexibility for aid operations and maximising productivity over each Mbps in use .
IT teams can now manage usage centrally with satellite credits reallocated between missions as and when required . Service providers can solve this problem by connecting various missions within the same NGO to a single account with a shared data pool across all deployments .
CREDIT ALLOCATION HAPPENS VIA A DIGITAL
PORTAL EQUIPPED
WITH NETWORK MANAGEMENT TOOLS , BANDWIDTH CONTROL , TRAFFIC FILTRATION , AND VOUCHER MANAGEMENT .
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