...Humanitarian Award for Lifesaving. During an award ceremony held at ITU Telecom World 2012, Inmarsat was recognized for its commitment and consistent leadership in supporting the use of telecommunications to save lives during emergencies. Andrew Sukawaty, Chairman, Inmarsat, accepted the industry award, the first occasion this award has been presented to industry partners, from ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun I.Touré.

Sukawaty said, “On behalf of my company and staff, I was honored to accept this eminent award from our peers within the industry. As a long-standing ITU partner, we have a long history of supporting the relief effort across the world, helping first responders communicate as quickly as possible to distribute aid in an effective and co-ordinated manner. In a crisis situation, time is of the essence and an early, co-ordinated response is the key to minimising the impact of any disaster. Mobile SATCOMs are therefore among a range of essential services for relief agencies in the initial days after a natural disaster, ensuring emergency services are deployed both quickly and reliably. By relying on Inmarsat's satellite network, first responders can access the information they need to act effectively, even if all terrestrial communications are down.”