Satellite Communication for Disaster Response in Pakistan

Key takeaways

Disasters take down towers, fibre and power together. Satellite does not depend on any of them.
Build a kit before you need it: handsets, a hotspot, a repeater for the coordination office and spare power.
Train staff and test monthly. A phone in a cupboard with a flat battery helps no one.
Pre-register SIMs in the organisation’s name to avoid delays during an emergency.

Why satellite in a disaster

Pakistan’s 2022 floods showed how quickly communications can disappear. Towers lose power, fibre is cut and the networks that remain are overloaded.

Satellite phones connect straight to the satellite, so they work as long as they have a view of the sky and a charged battery.

Role	Equipment	Why
Field teams	XT-LITE or XT-PRO	Voice and SMS anywhere; SOS on XT-PRO
Team leaders	XT-PRO DUAL	Satellite + GSM, location sharing
Coordination office	Multi-channel indoor repeater	Up to 10 users indoors
Data and reporting	SatSleeve Hotspot	Email and messaging on staff smartphones
Power	Spare batteries, car and solar chargers	Keep everything running

Register connections in the organisation’s name in advance, using an approved application on letterhead.
Keep prepaid lines topped up or use postpaid for critical staff.
Hold monthly test calls from open ground.
Print a contact sheet with every satellite number in international format.
Train staff to extend the antenna and face south-west.

Planning for monsoon season?

Talk to our team about relief kits and organisation-wide connections before the season starts.

Do satellite phones work when mobile networks are down?

Yes. Thuraya phones connect directly to the satellite and do not rely on local towers or power.

Can an NGO get multiple Thuraya connections?

Yes. Submit an approved application on the organisation’s letterhead with the required documents.