Eutelsat renews its commitment to Télécoms Sans Frontières

Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL), one of the leading global satellite operators, and Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF), a unique NGO specialising in emergency telecommunications, have renewed their partnership agreement initiated in 2007. The extension of the agreement and future collaboration was discussed today at Eutelsat’s Paris HQ by Rodolphe Belmer, Eutelsat CEO, Jean-François Cazenave, TSF Chairman and Monique Lanne-Petit, TSF Director.
TSF: active in more than 70 countries for over 800 humanitarian organisations including Ghana, Burkina Faso and Niger
Based in Pau, France, and also operating from bases in Mexico and Thailand, TSF is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to facilitating critical communications services in emergency situations when terrestrial networks are disenabled, and also to providing links in extremely remote areas. In 2007, TFS was very critical is deploying a crew of emergency telecommunication specialists to Ghana to support the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination teams (UNDAC) following the heavy floods which were affecting the country.
Within 24 hours of a crisis TSF can be on the scene anywhere in the world to set up telecommunications centres and the IT equipment required for crisis units, with satellite at the core of the robust technologies deployed. Since its foundation in 1998, TSF has intervened in more than 70 countries, supporting the work of over 800 humanitarian organisations.
Ten years of partnership
The solid partnership nurtured with Eutelsat over almost 10 years enables TSF to leverage the satellite resources and technology of a global operator to establish resilient and immediately available connectivity in areas requiring disaster relief.
Eutelsat’s support of TSF’s missions has stepped up with the migration crisis in Europe and the Middle East. In order to meet increased need for connectivity by humanitarian organisations working in the field, including Save the Children, UNICEF, Médecins Sans Frontières and Oxfam, a dozen satellite dishes have been set up in seven refugee centres in Greece, Serbia and Macedonia. Satellite broadband terminals that are easily transported by air and set up on-site in just a few minutes have enabled more effective information-sharing between NGOs and improved cooperation with stakeholders further afield.