Technologies

NEW ERA OF CONNECTIVITY FOR THE HUMANITARIAN SECTOR

NEW ERA OF CONNECTIVITY FOR THE HUMANITARIAN SECTOR

BY IEC TELECOM

Dubai, UAE, 23rdApril, 2024: Satellite service operator IEC Telecom Group showcases an innovative device to revolutionise the humanitarian response and unlock new opportunities for critical communications in the field. Skyphone by Thuraya is the first-ever universal smartphone with cellular and satellite connectivity. Complemented by value-added services from IEC Telecom, Skyphone will empower first responders and camp administrators in the MENA region with flexible and reliable communications in the field. Skyphonehas been unveiled in the GCC at the 20th Dubai International Humanitarian Aid & Development (DIHAD) Exhibition, taking place from April 23rd to 25th at Dubai World Trade Centre.

Digital access is expanding steadily across the world – with 5.35 billion people using the internet in 2024 and 97 million new users coming online for the first time in 2023, reflecting a growth of 1.8% over the past year. Internet adoption in Northern America and Europe surpassed 90%, while it is over 99% in most GCC countries. Despite the global march towards connectivity, regrettably, one-third of the global population still has no internet access. Predominantly they reside in areas where the aid operations take place.

The escalatingrisk of naturaldisasters and growinggeopolitical tensions underscore the criticalneed for humanitarian assistance. In fact, armedconflicts continue to affect 14 of the world’s least connected nations. Withaidoperationsfacingmounting pressure, budgetaryconcernsbecomeparamount. NGO operationsnecessitatedependable and readilydeployable solutions thatdon’trequiresubstantialsupportive infrastructure. Skyphoneisideallysituated to meetthisdemand.

Deliveringseamlessconnectivity, Skyphoneisideal for humanitarian missions because of itsdust and water-resistant case. Over GSM, the devicewillprovidevoice and data services and can beused for all types of applications, akin to a regular smartphone. Over satellite, Skyphonewilloffer Direct-to-Device service, supporting calls and SMS in 2024, with IoT and texting to beaddedin 2025.

Committed to providingconnectivity solutions to the humanitariansector for nearlythreedecades, IEC Telecom takes the Skyphone’scapabilities to a new level, enabling Push-to-Talk (PTT) functionality and tracking over the samedevice. Thesefeatures are essential for critical missions, supportingcost-effective group communications on the ground, instant distribution of important updates, and real-time monitoring of user geolocation by the HQ.

“Whendisaster strikes, fast responseis all thatmatters. With PTT functionality, Skyphone can beused as a radio, facilitating the coordination of rescueoperations. GPS tracking, in turn, willprovidevisibility over the team’sdeployment, helping HQ monitor the progress and sendreinforcements to a specific user as soon as an alertisreceived,” says Nabil Ben Soussia, Group CCO, IEC Telecom. “For long-term missions, such as humanitarian camps or social support programs, Skyphone (powered by Traksat) will serve as a powerfultool to boost operationalefficiency, improvinglogistics and facilitatingcooperation in the field,” headds.

The Traksat[1] PTT solution encompasses a dispatch console for remote administration and an intuitive end-user application. In satellite mode, Traksat enables PTT services, geofencing, push notifications, SOS functionality, two-way messaging and more. In cellular mode, the PTT solution over Skyphonewillalso support the exchange of multimedia and video calls.

The launch of SkyphonealignswithYahsat’s D2D strategy, aiming to allowusers to harness the capabilities of spacetechnologyanywhere in the world.

The new phone willbecommerciallyavailable in September 2024. The demo unit isdisplayed at the joint Thuraya and IEC Telecom stand at DIHAD this week.

-END-

About IEC Telecom Group:

IEC Telecom Group is a leading international satellite service provider withnearlythreedecades of experience in engineering voice and data solutions. We support digitalisation for industries in remote areas withlimited GSM coverage and provide reliable satellite backup for urbanenterprises to ensure business continuity. Covering the entire communications lifecycle—from POC development to installation and maintenance—IEC Telecom has a strongregionalpresence in nine countries, a vast distribution network, and global stock, enablingworldwidedelivery. IEC Telecom serves all major humanitarian organisations and isrecognized as a leading expert in the field of network management and value-added services. Learn more at www.iec-telecom.com.

[1]Traksat was founded in 2012 as a specialized branch of IEC Telecom Group to answer the growing need for M2M, Tracking and Asset Management applications.