An Iridium 9555 satellite phone being used in Haiti. Photo: Iridium

[Via Satellite 05-20-2015] Iridium Communications has donated 25 satellite phones along with batteries to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to support the agency’s disaster response capabilities. The ITU recently deployed 35 satellite phones as well as 10 Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) terminals, which included Iridium equipment, to Nepal. The magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck the country on April 25 destroyed a significant amount of terrestrial infrastructure, making satellite communications vital for establishing connectivity.

“Iridium’s donation comes at a critical time when natural disasters are on the increase,” said Brahima Sanou, director of the ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau. “This partnership confirms our continued commitment to using technology to save lives.”