GERMANTOWN, Md., April 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Hughes Network
Systems, LLC (HUGHES), the global leader in broadband
satellite networks and services, today issued a new white paper,
Lessons from Disaster Relief - The Importance of Communications
Resiliency and Preparedness, outlining specific
emergency preparedness recommendations ahead of the 2018 hurricane
season. Featured in the inaugural issue of the Politico Space
newsletter, it documents lessons learned after being one of the
first organizations on the ground providing communications support
in Texas, Puerto Rico and U.S.
Virgin Islands following one of the worst hurricane seasons
on record.
"There is an urgent need for emergency preparedness plans to
include communications networks," said Tony
Bardo, Assistant Vice President of Government Solutions at
Hughes. "Terrestrial communications alone are vulnerable to
storm damage, making satellite connectivity an essential part of
resilient networks needed to support first responders and critical
decision-making across multiple agencies."
Hughes makes specific recommendations for network infrastructure
preparedness centering their message on network path diversity. In
Puerto Rico for example, Hurricane
Maria compromised the 90-year-old Guajataca Dam while the island
was without power and terrestrial communications. By connecting a
previously installed Hughes VSAT to a power generator, government
officials were able to call agencies in the U.S. and implement an
immediate evacuation order for an estimated 70,000 people. In this
instance, path diverse satellite connectivity helped avert a
potential catastrophe.
Specific recommendations outlined in the white paper include the
following:
- Deploying Path Diverse Network Backup Channels –
Satellite systems provide seamless backup connectivity for critical
networks like 9-1-1. Commercial retailers, gas stations and other
businesses are also strongly encouraged to utilize path diversity
to keep credit and debit point-of-sale (PoS) transactions
online.
- Storing Emergency Systems – Prepare and identify
locations where fly-away satellite terminals can be safely stored.
Having systems readily available for rapid deployment are critical
to support urgent communications for response and recovery
missions.
- Increasing Awareness and Government Funding – Lack of
awareness about the need for network path diversity and lack of
government funding both contribute to a deficiency in readiness.
Government agencies should look to adopt path diversity and
resiliency especially ahead of hurricane season. This would ensure
less time spent trying to procure and deploy communications
solutions during the chaos following a major emergency.
About Hughes Network Systems
Hughes Network Systems,
LLC (HUGHES) is the global leader in broadband satellite technology
and services for home and office. Its flagship high-speed satellite
Internet service is HughesNet®, the world's largest satellite
network with over 1.2 million residential and business customers
across the Americas. For large enterprises and governments, the
company's HughesON® managed network services provide complete
connectivity solutions employing an optimized mix of satellite and
terrestrial technologies. The JUPITER™ System is the world's most
widely deployed High-Throughput Satellite (HTS) platform, operating
on more than 20 satellites by leading service providers, delivering
a wide range of broadband enterprise, mobility and cellular
backhaul applications. To date, Hughes has shipped more than 7
million terminals to customers in over 100 countries, representing
approximately 50 percent market share, and its technology is
powering broadband services to aircraft around the world.
Headquartered outside Washington,
D.C., in Germantown,
Maryland, USA, Hughes operates sales and support offices
worldwide, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation
(NASDAQ: SATS), a premier global provider of satellite operations.
For additional information about Hughes, please visit
www.hughes.com and follow @Hughes_Corp on Twitter.
About EchoStar
EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS) is a premier global provider of
satellite communication solutions. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., and conducting business
around the globe, EchoStar is a pioneer in secure communications
technologies through its Hughes Network Systems and EchoStar
Satellite Services business segments. For more information, visit
echostar.com. Follow @EchoStar on Twitter.
©2018 Hughes Network Systems, LLC, an EchoStar company. Hughes
and HughesNet are registered trademarks and JUPITER is a trademark
of Hughes Network Systems, LLC.
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SOURCE Hughes Network Systems, LLC