EchoStar, Spacenet Team Up to Deliver Satellite Comm to Haiti

EchoStar Satellite Services (a subsidiary of EchoStar Corp.) and Spacenet Integrated Government Solutions  have announced a collaborative effort to deliver two-way satellite communications involving space and ground equipment to the American Red Cross to aid in relief efforts following the devastating earthquake.

These donations include high-speed commercial grade broadband data and digital voice capability using the EchoStar IX satellite located at 121 degrees W.L. In addition, Spacenet is contributing VSAT equipment for two-way communications supporting emergency personnel working in Haiti.  The equipment arrived in Port au Prince last week and will support four Red Cross relief sites.

“The contribution of communications companies like Spacenet and EchoStar are critical for the ability of the American Red Cross to help the people of Haiti and aid in restoring the infrastructure,” says David Meltzer, SVP for International Services at the American Red Cross.

Spacenet’s VSAT systems include small dish antennas and two-way ground stations that are transportable and can be deployed quickly, providing a wireless link completely independent of the local terrestrial infrastructure that was significantly damaged in the earthquake.

“We moved quickly to identify partners and resources that could provide communications rapidly,” says Rick Mortellaro, SVP of EchoStar Satellite Services. “Due to Haiti’s proximity to the U.S., we are in a position to provide two-way communications, which is especially important during disaster recovery. The Red Cross can now broadcast emergency channels and information to outlying cities expeditiously.”

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