Dr. John Francis took his Planetwalk through Missouri recently and used the EXPLORER® 727 for his communications efforts.
Dr. Francis founded Planetwalk after experiencing an oil spill in San Francisco, in the early 1970s. His work helping clean the beaches transformed his life, and he then stopped using all motorized transportation and walked wherever he went. Shortly thereafter, he took a vow of silence that lasted for 17 years and during which he reconnected with nature.
Inmarsat supports Planetwalk to ensure that Dr. Francis has a reliable communications device that offers both voice and data applications and will work wherever he travels. In the past 30+ years, he has walked across the United States, sailed and walked through the Caribbean and South America and in Cuba. Currently, he is reconstructing his first walk from Cape May, New Jersey, to Point Reyes, California.
Throughout his walk, Dr. Francis shares his thoughts by videoconference with people across the country. During his lectures, he talks about the underlying sources of the current environmental crisis shares his beliefs that any attempt to resolve the crisis must not only address scientific issues, but also humanitarian issues.
Inmarsat is proud to offer Dr. Francis the technology he needs to connect with others, share his beliefs, and share a variety of communications during Planetwalk.
Not having a signal. It’s one of the single most disruptive things that a person in today’s technology-dependant world can experience.
Why? Well, we expect communication. We assume that it will be available to us in all situations and under any circumstances.
Unfortunately, there are places in this world, situations that exist and circumstances that can arise that make communications a luxury. Take, for example, in times of emergency and disaster response.
I recently had the opportunity to attend two large industry shows that featured technologies and solutions important to first responders. First was IWCE 2009, the annual convention for two-way radio manufacturers, and the second was Satellite 2009, an event for solutions for the end-user in the satellite-enabled communications marketplace.
At both the IWCE 2009 and Satellite 2009 shows, the sessions underscored the role of governance and planning in ensuring that first responders have the connectivity they need when they need it.
An example of this was offered at IWCE, where Alaskan state officials and DOD partners reported on efforts to bring the DOD concept of “Deliberative Communications Planning” to state emergency operations. Essentially, this involves “Doing Communications First” in planning for disaster response. By establishing communications first, emergency personnel are ensured that the information and ability to connect are in place and that cooperation can take place. Even so, with communications integrated from the start in exercise planning, it is clear that being able to communicate technically is not the same as training so teams actually do communicate in an exercise or disaster.
The technologies being displayed at both the IWCE 2009 and Satellite 2009 shows were quite amazing in their increasing ease of use and the capabilities they bring to the first responder. At IWCE specifically, Motorola reps reported on the growing adoption of the mesh network solutions, which support wi-fi and offer interference mitigation. These solutions can support a wide range of needs including medical triage and wearable video cameras. These mesh networks can be linked offsite via satellite as desired.
The world of disaster and emergency response is changing rapidly as new technologies make communication possible in even the harshest of environments. As these technologies continue to evolve and improve and as adoption increases, our ability to react quickly in an organized and cooperative fashion to even the worst disaster will surely save the lives of many, both victims and emergency personnel alike.
For users of the Explorer series of BGAN terminals from Thrane & Thrane, there is a new software version available at http://www.inmarsat.com/support/BGAN (for land terminals) and http://www.inmarsat.com/support/fleetbroadband (for maritime terminals). The upgrade ensures that terminals operating in the Asia-Pacific region can register with the I-4 satellite and access the BGAN network.
During the recent Satellite 2009 conference, my colleagues and I heard a lot of questions about emerging technologies, most of which began with “why” and “how.” The nature of the technology begs these questions. We need to see it and feel it to get a sense of whether a specific technology will meet our needs.
First, let’s address “why.” Does your government organization have leadership or staff who travels around the globe, but still need to communicate quickly, safely and securely back to the main office or other constituents? As an example, dependable and secure connectivity for the military in hostile environments or rough terrains is mission critical. In cases such as this, there is no room or time for guesswork, and that’s where secure data connections with access to phone, email and even videoconferencing are tantamount to quick, efficient and effective decision-making.
So, we’ve established why a satellite technology might meet a need for your mission, so the next question is “how.” The last thing any organization needs is a lot of extra, bulky equipment that is difficult to set up and use. That’s where BGAN (Broadband Global Area Network) comes into the picture. As small and lightweight as a laptop, BGAN offers the ability to connect to the Internet, use a handheld phone, stream video and videoconference from anywhere in the world with a set-up time of approximately three minutes. Imagine the ability to send pictures in real-time and access decision-makers anywhere and anytime from anywhere in the world. You don’t need a huge satellite antenna stuck on your backpack to do that.
Hear from Rebecca Cowen-Hirsch as she talks about what is on the horizon for the satellite communications industry at the recent Satellite 2009 conference. She also explains the importance of having a deep understanding of users’ communications requirements in order to meet a variety of on-the-go needs.
The first three months of the year have drawn a lot of eyes to the sky, as events including defunct satellites and collisions have created debate about what to do with aging and/or non-functioning spacecraft. Other areas of interest include challenging regulatory hurdles that could impact the growth of the industry while, at the same time, the possibility of satellite-supported solar energy as an alternate energy source could be a new area of growth for the industry.
This forum, Mind the Gap: extending communications to a world on the go, will be a place for discussion and dialogue about topics such as these and will be a platform for Inmarsat to share our news and information with our valued partners and customers and anyone who has an interest in the satellite industry.
We hope you visit often and provide us with your feedback and tell us what you think is important to the satellite industry today.
Rebecca Cowen-Hirsch, Vice President, Global Government Services
