IEC Telecom Empowers Humanitarian Organisations with Next-Gen Tracking and SOS Tools

Over recent years, global reliance on humanitarian assistance has risen dramatically. In 2024, nearly 300 million people were projected to require aid and protection — a surge driven by ongoing conflicts, climate shocks, and pandemics. Working at the frontline, humanitarian staff face growing risks, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced safety measures. IEC Telecom  will join AIDEX  — the world’s leading humanitarian aid and disaster relief event — to unveil a new innovative portfolio of tracking solutions, tailored to meet the critical needs of the humanitarian sector.

Humanitarian workers are essential in delivering aid to people in crisis, yet their safety is facing growing risks. According to Humanitarian Outcomes’ Aid Worker Security Report 2025, nearly 230 aid workers lost their lives in the first half of 2025 — already surpassing the annual total recorded in any year between 1997 and 2022. These numbers highlight the steep and rising cost of reaching vulnerable populations involved in bringing life-saving assistance to those in unstable and insecure environments.

Reliable communication and digital connectivity are now central to aid worker safety. Disruptions compromise missions and coordination, making secure communication and tracking tools indispensable for protecting lives. Today, IEC Telecom presented a new range of solutions intended to help management maintain complete visibility over remote personnel, share critical updates across multiple user groups, and receive timely SOS notifications — enabling rapid response measures such as dispatching support, mobilising rescue operations, or providing medical assistance when needed most.

“IEC Telecom has been serving the humanitarian sector for over thirty years, giving us first-hand insight into the harsh working conditions and specific requirements of aid organisations. Coordinated action is essential not only for mission success but also for ensuring the safety of staff operating across the globe. IEC Telecom’s new tracking portfolio, powered by Garmin’s leading hardware and managed through our Traksat digital platform, is purpose-built for organisational deployment.”

– Gwenael Loheac, President Europe&West Africa, IEC Telecom Group

The new range presented at AIDEX today introduces a comprehensive solution built around the Garmin GPSMAP ® H1i Plus (https://apo-opa.co/4ouIK4q), a recent addition to Garmin’s handheld product line. This rugged GPS navigator features a modern 3.5-inch colour touchscreen, supports preloaded maps and enables the exchange of multimedia files. Most importantly for humanitarian missions, it incorporates an integrated Iridium® receiver, allowing field personnel to stay connected well beyond the limits of cellular coverage.

The Traksat platform by IEC Telecom enhances the capabilities of the GPSMAP H1i Plus, making it suitable for organisation-wide deployment with centralised management, post-paid billing and advanced reporting — a critical advantage for high-stakes missions. Personnel connected via the GPSMAP H1i Plus can be integrated into an organisational pool, which may be further segmented into groups and subgroups based on location or task. Administrators can establish geofencing, which can trigger timely alerts to ensure field teams remain within safe operational areas. In addition, the platform supports multiple mapping options and allows the implementation of mission checklists, enabling advanced visibility over remote operations. The system is designed for scalability, enabling headquarters to adjust settings, activate or deactivate licences, and scale usage up or down — all without the long-term commitments.

The introduction of this comprehensive solution comes at a pivotal moment, coinciding with a growing trend in the humanitarian sector known as localisation. In the face of substantial cuts to humanitarian funding, many major aid institutions are shifting towards reduced deployment of international staff in remote areas, relying instead on strengthened partnerships with local NGOs. In this context, the ability to monitor and support dispersed teams in real time becomes increasingly vital, ensuring transparency over remote operations in terms of resource allocation, while safeguarding both mission efficiency and staff safety on the ground.