Why You Need To Include Satellite Communications In Your Emergency Plan

Some of that damage comes from direct losses, such as merchandise spoiled by lack of refrigeration, some is less direct when customers can’t visit stores to buy merchandise and some is because businesses can’t reach customers or service providers (such as banks) who are open, but can’t be reached because communications lines are out.

Even when a business takes steps to avoid the damage caused by power outages, such as by installing stand-by generators, the lack of communications remains. While the business may be able to stay open, its phone service is probably out, internet service is also probably out so customers can’t be reached and orders can’t be placed.

When the power outage is caused by emergency conditions, such as those California wildfires or hurricanes in the Southeast, the communications emergency is exacerbated. Employees can’t call home and reaching emergency services may be impossible.

And by now you know that you can’t use your cell phones during an emergency, if only because first responders are using all of the available resources.

Alternatives to Cellular

Just because cell service is out doesn’t mean you can’t use your landline. In many cases, especially following hurricanes, landline service is still there, but even with your landline service, you may find that emergency uses preempt your use. Voice over IP phone service is also vulnerable to disruption because of power outages and because of congestion.

But there is a solution to your company’s communications needs, and that’s satellite communications using commercially available satellite phones. These phones connect to a constellation of 66 Iridium communications satellites that are in low earth orbit, or they connect to a constellation of 13 Inmarsat geosynchronous satellites.

There are important differences in the way these devices operate that you should know about. Iridium satellites operate in polar orbits (meaning their orbits cross each pole as the earth turns beneath them) which ensures that they are always available anywhere in the world. Inmarsat satellites always appear in the same place in the sky as they orbit over the equator, always staying over the same spot on the earth.

However, Inmarsat is in the process of launching an additional group of satellites that will pass closer to the earth. The current Inmarsat satellites can’t cover areas to the far north or south on the earth, and this new constellation will correct that.

Delay

The biggest difference for users of the two satellite systems is the amount of delay in conversations. This delay is present to some extent in wireless communications, and it’s caused by both the speed of light between two phones and the processing required to covert a signal from analog voice to digital and back again. You can experience this delay yourself by simply standing in the same room with someone and calling their cell phone from your cell phone. You can hear the delay from the time you speak until you hear your voice coming over their phone.

This delay, called latency, can interfere with conversations if it’s too long. You’ll notice this if you try to call another phone using a geosynchronous satellite. Satellite systems, including Iridium, that use low earth orbit satellites don’t experience as much of this delay.

Disasters

Satellite operators have seen an uptick in the number of businesses buying and using satellite phones. “Some of the disasters around the world have led a number of businesses to purchase phones from us, Japan in particular,” said Inmarsat Enterprises president Paul Gudonis. He said that there are two use cases for businesses, one is for business continuity and for safety when people are being evacuated.

Gudonis also noted that a number of companies are buying devices that are similar to WiFi routers, but connect to a satellite instead of the internet, and which allow connections via employee smartphones.

“There’s almost a complacency about networks,” said Josh Miner, Iridium’s VP of Land Mobile. “Satellite is more important than ever because people need to communicate.”

Since Iridium emerged from bankruptcy in late 2000, the company has found ways to make its service affordable, and it has found ways to improve its once-dismal data speeds to 176 kilobits per second on its new mid-band services on its new satellites.

Phones from Iridium and Inmarsat are routinely passed out by relief agencies during natural disasters.

Company Use

Companies use satellite phones for two general reasons. The first is for workers in areas where other types of phone service isn’t available. Depending on the company, this can be in mines, aviation or shipping, for example. The fact that satellite communications can take place either using a handheld satellite phone or using a WiFi device that resembles a router so that employees can connect with their smartphones or laptops makes this sort of remote use attractive.

The second reason is for continuity of operations during a disaster or other disruption of normal communications. While a satellite phone won’t replace your internet connection, it can allow you to communicate with your employees and customers.

This means that you can give your company spokesperson a satellite phone so that you have a way to communicate with the outside world. You can also provide phones to your key executives so that you have a way to coordinate your recovery and return to business.

Using a satellite phone

You should know that you can’t just buy a satellite phone, put it in a drawer and expect to use it when an emergency crops up. While a satellite phone looks a lot like an old Nokia cell phone, the way you use it is quite different. For one thing, your satellite phone doesn’t technically exist in the United States – instead it’s got its own country code. This means that you can’t just dial a phone number, but rather you need to dial an access code, the country code for the US (which is 1) and then the full 10-digit phone number.

To dial your phone to call the White House, for example, you’d dial +1 (the + is the international access code on satellite phones as well as on most cell phones) and the country code for the US. This would be followed by 202-456-1414. This part about the country code is one of the biggest problems for satellite phone users. Miner said that forgetting to dial that code is one of the biggest problems people have using their satellite phones.

Iridium provided one of their Iridium Extreme phones for a few days to help with this article. It showed that there are a few other things to remember. First, you can only use a satellite phone in outside in an open area with a clear view of the sky. You may have to point the phone’s antenna in a particular direction to get the best signal. And it takes longer to call a number than it does on your cell phone, during which the phone acquires the satellite, connects to the phone network, then places the call.

The phone itself is larger and heavier than today’s smartphones, but not so much that you can’t carry it in a pocket. And despite what you see on television, you can’t use it inside a building no matter how cool it looks.

Satellite phones are available in a wide range of prices, starting at under $300.00 and ranging to over $1000.00. Usage costs vary widely and SIM cards with pre-loaded usage are available.