An Israeli headquartered satellite firm plans selling high-quality underground voice call services to African mines.

Gilat Satcom intends targeting African underground mines with its ‘SuricatePRO’ satellite phone service.

Gilat provides satellite and fibre-based connectivity services in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

“Traditionally communication with underground workers has been via temporary coax cables which are prone to damage and unsuitable for many locations,” says Gilat in a press statement.

“Gilat Satcom’s SuricatePRO service provides coverage extension for standard satellite phones extending telephony underground without loss of signal quality,” says the company.

Gilat goes on to say that SuricatePRO takes advantage of Foxcom’s RF-over-fibre technology. This enables customers to install outdoor and indoor units connected via fibre within a 6 km range.

“The company has been providing a similar system to underground bunkers operated by military forces around the world for a number of years. It has adapted this system to cope with the harsh conditions found at many mines,” says Gilat in its statement.