Jamie Bennet
James Clevenger, director of government sales at Hughes Network Systems, said geostationary and low-Earth orbit satellites can help the Federal Emergency Management Agency maintain communications in the event of a natural disaster.
In a commentary published Friday on Federal News Network, Clevenger wrote that FEMA should take advantage of cost-effective emerging technologies to resolve communication barriers during hurricanes and other emergency events.
“With decades of tried-and-true performance after hurricanes, GEO satellites remain a dependable and affordable option for emergency connectivity, and getting a connection only requires setting up a small portable satellite dish.”
The Hughes executive said, for LEO connectivity, flat panel antennas are increasingly becoming a reliable option on account of their capacity to download data at a maximum of 195 megabits per second, with low latency.
Other novel systems such as standalone 5G networks and direct-to-device satellite services can also be used by FEMA and first responders to stay in touch during emergency and disaster relief operations, Clevenger added.
