Eutelsat Renews Partnership With Telecoms Sans Frontieres

21 May 2010

Eutelsat Communications renewed its partnership with Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF) to support the organisation's humanitarian aid operations throughout the world. The renewal of the partnership, first concluded in 2007, was signed by Michel de Rosen, Eutelsat CEO and Jean-Francois Cazenave, President of Télécoms Sans Frontières.

Based in Pau (France), with regional offices in Bangkok (Thailand) and Managua (Nicaragua), Télécoms Sans Frontières is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) specialised in providing emergency telecommunications services. Since it was set up in 1998, more than 500 aid organisations operating in 60 countries have worked with TSF to restore immediate communications empowering relief and rescue teams and set up equipment and services needed for longer term operations.

TSF has integrated Eutelsat's D-STAR broadband service into telecommunications solutions deployed for the humanitarian community active in Europe, Africa and the Americas. Operating independently from terrestrial networks, fast to install and able to serve single or multiple work stations and Wi-Fi networks, D-STAR terminals have been set up at strategic coordination centres in the immediate aftermath of events destroying terrestrial communications, as well as for longer term humanitarian work.

Beyond its response to major emergencies, TSF is reinforcing its long-term initiatives in Africa with the implementation of sustainable community telecommunications centres in some of the most remote and vulnerable areas. To help meet this objective, D-STAR terminals have been set up in Niger and Burkina Faso that can help develop the agricultural economy of isolated communities as well as medical and school services.

"With global issues to address such as climate change, energy shortage, increasing refugees and access to health, we are constantly looking for communications technologies that can have a fast and positive impact on the lives of the most underprivileged in the most unconnected regions of the world," said Jean-François Cazenave, President of TSF. "Eutelsat's satellite technology is a strong match for our needs. It enables us to react immediately to emergencies and also helps support long-term programmes building up local capacities and improving life conditions."

Michel de Rosen responded: "In many cases, satellites are the sole immediate source of communication for relief operations. When we began our partnership with TSF, Eutelsat's objective was for our own turnkey satellite technologies to make a fast and concrete contribution to the organisation's remarkable mobilisation for victims of a disaster or conflict. With these first three years of experience now acquired, it is natural for us to renew our support for the leading NGO in emergency telecommunications, and we are proud to pursue this strong relationship."