Dublin, Ireland, September 10, 2025 – Abeeway and EchoStar Mobile Limited, an EchoStar (Nasdaq: SATS) company, today announced that the Peloton de Gendarmerie de Haute Montagne (PGHM), France’s elite Alpine rescue unit, has deployed new satellite-enabled safety beacons to protect its personnel in the field.
The compact beacons, developed by Abeeway and integrated with EchoStar Mobile’s LoRa® NTN connectivity, ensure accurate location tracking and emergency alerts even in the most remote environments beyond terrestrial coverage. The ALPIK solution completes the ecosystem, enabling PGHM teams to track operations, visualize locations, and integrate beacon data into the well-known GenLoc utility used by mountain rescue.
Reliable safety in extreme conditions
The new generation satellite beacons build on earlier terrestrial models but now incorporate direct-to-satellite S-band IoT connectivity via EchoStar Mobile’s pan-European network. This ensures continuous, reliable transmission of location data and distress alerts where terrestrial networks are unavailable. Lightweight and pocket-sized, the beacon offers up to 60 hours of active use or two months in standby mode, with long-range findability of up to 10 km and precision within 30 cm.
Major Favre, Head of PGHM’s Mountain Innovation Unit, explained, “We needed a solution that would operate under all conditions to support both risk and operational management. The combination of BLE, LoRaWAN in covered areas, and satellite connectivity ensures tracking in every scenario. Frequent location updates and long autonomy make the beacon a highly practical tool, and integration into our systems was straightforward.”
NTN connectivity for critical response
EchoStar Mobile’s LoRa®-enabled NTN (non-terrestrial network) is purpose-built to support IoT applications that require low-power, wide-area coverage without dependence on terrestrial infrastructure. For PGHM, this translates into dependable communications across Europe’s mountainous terrain, enabling fast recovery times within the critical “golden hour” for trauma response.
“By embedding EchoStar Mobile’s connectivity, the Abeeway beacon overcomes the gaps that limit standard GPS devices and makes personnel findable anywhere,” said Telemaco Melia, Vice President and General Manager at EchoStar Mobile. “This use case shows how NTN IoT networks can bring real safety benefits to those working in the most challenging environments.”
Towards broader applications
Olivier Hersent, Founder of Actility (parent company of Abeeway), added, “The geosafety beacon proves the maturity of satellite IoT in a demanding real-world scenario. It positions us as a serious player in extending satellite technology to practical applications, from adventure sports to professional use cases.”
Fabien Philippe, architect of the ALPIK solution, concluded, “By combining Abeeway’s beacon design with EchoStar Mobile’s NTN IoT connectivity solution, we are able to deliver a cost-effective safety tool that can be used widely, ensuring peace of mind for outdoor professionals and enthusiasts alike.”
About EchoStar Mobile
EchoStar Mobile, an EchoStar (Nasdaq: SATS) company, is a leading provider of satellite-based mobile communications services and the operator of a LoRa®-enabled non-terrestrial network (NTN). The company is dedicated to delivering reliable, efficient, and secure IoT connectivity across Europe, enabling solutions for industries and organizations operating in remote and underserved regions.