As the digital revolution steps up a gear, the reliance on broadband remains constant. The need for ‘always on’ connectivity is not only getting more pronounced, but it is also spreading to every corner of the world, with new applications emerging to entice new users. Each new pocket of demand brings with it its own specific challenges to be overcome and sometimes these are way beyond the realms of what can be achieved using terrestrial broadband infrastructures.
While the widespread demand is there, the access to services is often not. According to internetworldstats.com, almost half of the world’s population still lies out of reach for traditional methods of communication. So, the question is: how can the provision of services be made in scattered and out of reach locations so that citizens can have the same level of access to services that those in densely populated and developed areas so readily enjoy?
Enter Satellite
The beauty of satellite is that it can be provided anywhere, with immense capabilities and reliability. Satellite is often the only way to provide fast and effective access to online services. The proof of this can be seen in its deployment in hard-to-reach areas and with the right infrastructure, combining effective use of the latest satellite technologies with the right service providers locally, new and significant clusters of users can be connected and set free – unlocking the full potential that the Internet has to offer. When it comes to the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, many communities are often separated by ocean, which in some cases can span thousands of miles. This divide is not just physical, it also acts as a huge barrier to broadband access, something that only satellite can broach. At Newtec, we are channeling our focus in the APAC region by building and nurturing new and existing relationships which will reveal new and lucrative opportunities for our partners and customers. By working closely with our contacts to help develop their offering with our technologies, we are succeeding in our drive to grow access to broadband to connect more communities than ever before, whilst adding value along the way. The kinds of geographical landscapes in which we work in present huge potential for growth in strategic partnerships – and it is always our pleasure to be able to work alongside those growing their networks by tapping into previously underserved areas. Newtec’s Satellite Network Calculator and its acute ability to provide insight into the efficiency of the networks is just one of the ways that we can offer cost-effective access to highly tuned and optimized networks for our partners.
Strategic Missions
The emergence of High Throughput Satellites (HTS) has also brought substantial possibilities to new geographies within APAC and this is something that Newtec is at the forefront of enabling. Newtec’s recent partnership with broadband satellite operator, Kacific, entailed a $10 million investment in Newtec Dialog® hubs to power its new Kacific1 HTS. By using Newtec’s Mx-DMA® return technology, the highest possible bandwidth efficiency can be provided to power a host of new services across South East Asia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Due to the physical challenges of connecting islands such as these, satellite was the only way to deliver the kinds of levels of bandwidth required.
The Kacific1 satellite features 56 high-power subscriber spot beams, which can each offer targeted capacity at high speeds. In its partnership with Newtec, Kacific was able to launch high-demand applications, such as community Internet access, via mobile backhaul, a much-needed service to empower improvements in areas including healthcare, education and civil defense – which is far beyond the reach of traditional broadband infrastructures.
“The Kacific HUB, based on the Newtec Dialog multiservice platform, is a pivotal part of the satellite network and we selected because it demonstrates the highest performance and ability to offer the very high link efficiencies and availabilities required for our Ka-band spot beam system,” said Christian Patouraux, CEO and Founder of Kacific. “We have also been very impressed with other unique features offered by Newtec such as the Satellite Network Calculator, which enables us to tailor new services in a very efficient and fast-to-market manner, which will only help ensure the reliability and enhance the quality of our services to our customers.”
The attractiveness of satellite technologies to connect scattered locations was also validated by a second significant partnership with teleport and ISP, SATSOL. SATSOL is one of three ISPs operating in the Solomon Islands, Oceania. Made up of six main islands and clusters of more than 900 smaller islands, the mission to deliver efficient broadband connections at each was considerable. With the backing of its local government in a concerted effort to improve Internet and ICT provision for the islands in its National Development Strategy over a twenty year period, SATSOL selected the Newtec Dialog platform to expand its coverage of remote sites as it needed.
“In partnering with Kacific, we are strengthening our presence in South East Asia and the Pacific and we are extremely proud to be involved with a project that bridges the digital divide to people in regions that have never before had access”
Thomas Van den Driessche, CEO at Newtec
Kacific1 coverage, image courtesy Kacific
“SATSOL is a locally owned company and we know just how important it is to stay connected to the rest of the world and the impact that this can have on quality of life and the economy,” said Antony Ferris, CEO at SATSOL. “The installation of Newtec Dialog has enabled us to replace a double hop link with just a single hop. Newtec’s Mx-DMA technology has enabled us to optimize our bandwidth usage and to transform the overall user experience in a cost-effective way.”