SatNews is pleased to report the generosity of many companies that have stepped up to assist with Haiti's recovery, this time the two — Vizada Networks, and SES World Skies — have donated satellite and service capacity to allow the World Health Organization's VSAT site in Port au Prince to cover for the increased needs of communication in the aftermath of the earthquake. The World Health Organization (WHO) is working with local authorities and humanitarian agencies to respond to the emergency.

Satellite communications are playing a crucial role in supporting emergency relief efforts on Haiti as the country’s cellular and terrestrial telecommunication networks have collapsed. In addition to the current WHO VSAT site in Port au Prince, their health and logistics experts are equipped with Vizada Companion, a new generation quick-to-deploy VSAT terminal to provide essential communication services. This has enabled them to establish an additional 512 kbps/1024kbps link for simultaneous voice and broadband data.

Vizada Networks and SES World Skies will also donate satellite capacity with the deployed Vizada Companion for three months to allow the WHO to set up and run the emergency communications center to optimize disaster recovery processes and support local authorities and humanitarian partners in this relief operation.

“Working together with our partners, World Skies and Telenor's Nittedal Teleport in Norway, Vizada Networks is providing communications assistance to the many NGOs on the ground coordinating relief efforts. Without effective and reliable communications systems, an already slow process could become even more difficult, so we’re working hard to support the relief efforts underway, ” says Giovanni Auciello, Vizada Networks‘ Infrastructure & Assets Manager.