Emergency Connections

When an emergency happens, the right connection is critical.

Whether there’s a tornado or a hurricane, a fire or a flood, emergency responders need fast, reliable connections to manage the crisis. From municipal organizations guiding first responders to emergency planners and healthcare centres organizing shelter and care, there needs to be a plan in place and a way of connecting people to the services they require.

So what happens if your Internet connection fails?

In the case of a natural disaster, it’s not unlikely. Cellular towers, underground cabling and other equipment can get damaged in a windstorm, fire or flood, putting whole networks out of commission. Which is where a backup, or redundancy, connection comes in.

A redundant connection is critical in keeping communication alive. But it’s just as key that emergency responders know exactly what to look for to stay prepared.

Connectivity for Critical Services

In the case of a natural disaster or a wide-reaching emergency, critical services like first responders, local government officials and healthcare centres need a way to stay in touch. A fast, reliable connection can benefit them in more way than one:

• Accessing up-to-date information: Whether it’s a change in the direction of a fire or a new group of survivors that’s being rescued from a flood, first responders and healthcare professionals need to know what’s going on in real time so that they can respond quickly.
• Coordinating aid: In any crisis, there are those with resources and those who need them. A fast, reliable connection can help ensure the flow of supplies continues to the most in-need areas, without delay.
• Staying in contact with those in need: The right connection can also help keep communication open with people in the most rural or remote areas, to find out who requires assistance and let them know when someone is on the way.

Yet the same emergencies that make connectivity so critical can also impact Internet service — putting many networks in danger.

So what’s the solution?

The Benefits of Satellite in an Emergency

Terrestrial Internet networks like cellular and cable are more vulnerable to a natural disaster like a hurricane, earthquake, fire or flood. That’s because cell towers and underground cables can get damaged, putting out the entire network. Those damages can take days, weeks or longer to repair — time that emergency responders just don’t have.

That’s why it’s important to have a non-terrestrial backup network like satellite Internet.

Satellite Internet isn’t reliant on the same earth-bound infrastructure as fixed wireless or even 5G. Rather, it picks up signals from satellites in space. That means an emergency on the ground won’t have the same network repercussions.

What’s more, satellite Internet is also cost effective. Even small communities can afford a backup satellite connection to stay prepared.

What to Look For

But to ensure they stay connected, organizations need to find the right satellite network to back up their Internet service, and an Internet provider that will support them. With that in mind, here are a few things to look for in a backup connection:

Route Diversity

When your backup Internet connection relies on the same technology as your primary service, a threat to one is going to affect the other as well. That’s why route diversity is important. A route diverse platform is more robust because it relies on different technologies — a terrestrially based fiber or fixed wireless primary connection, for instance, and a non-terrestrial satellite secondary connection.

Automatic Failover

Automatic failover means that when your primary Internet connection fails, whatever the reason, your secondary connection kicks in automatically. It ensures seamless service, even when there’s an outage along your primary network — and is a must for critical care service providers, who can’t be worrying about their Internet in the middle of a crisis.

24/7 Priority Support

While satellite Internet is less prone to network-wide damage caused by earth-bound disasters, equipment failure or technical issues closer to home are always a risk. And in the case of a problem, emergency responders need to be able to access help immediately and without waiting in line — no matter what time of day it is. This makes 24/7 priority business support another key element to look for in your backup Internet provider.

How Xplore Business Can Help

Xplore Business offers primary and redundancy solutions across a range of networks, including satellite. Customers benefit from affordable, route-diverse solutions, automatic failover and 24/7 priority business support.

With our fast, reliable connections, you’ll stay online — even during an emergency.

Email ​​sales@business.xplore.ca to discuss your backup solution needs.