Page 29 - IB FEB 2017

Advertorial
How can you ensure cost-effective, reliable

and manageable connectivity in the Pacific

by Nick Miller vider from another is to look at the kind larger BUCs to support the growth of the
of contract agreements they offer. network, the new solution has increased
THE need for reliable communications For instance, some will offer 24/7 the satellite link from 5.5Mb to a 12Mb
has never been as great as it is today. customer support as standard and incor- full duplex service supporting 2G calls
The ability to connect and communicate porate Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and 3G data for the three main urban
on a global scale has become a crucial into their contracts to ensure reliability areas of the Western Province.
aspect of life as we know it. for their customers. Geographical issues, as discussed
Whether for social purposes, work, or The satellite landscape is in constant above, can be overcome for a variety of
school, one thing is certain: connectivity flux. Therefore, many providers recog- verticals. For example, some providers
is key. In the past, geographical location nise the need for flexibility and offer a in the region use a combination of L-
played a pivotal role in who was con- combined approach. band and VSAT technologies to provide
nected, and who was not. For example, businesses that operate seamless coverage whether used at
Today there are global solutions to across the Pacific region and need con- shore or at sea.
overcome geographical challenges, nectivity in all areas may be offered a
regardless of how remote a location single solution combining various satel- A FULLY INCLUSIVE APPROACH:
may be. lite and fibre services.
Island life poses many unique chal- Other providers in the region use SpeedCast has over 15 years’ worth of
lenges for those who live and work there. Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites to experience operating within the Pacific
As the demand for reliable connectivity provide faster and cheaper services to region. It offers a fully inclusive commu-
has increased, so too have the offerings the region. nication solution suite and understands
from the communications industry. This MEO option has been success- a one-sized-fits-all approach to commu-
fully deployed by SpeedCast across PNG, nications simply does not work today.
THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN the Solomon Islands, and the Republic The needs of its customers vary
CHOOSING A SERVICE PROVIDER of Kiribati. Residents of the Kiribati greatly, which is why it offers layered
now have connectivity the equivalent solutions. This brings together multiple
Given the remoteness of many of the to long-haul fibre. The implementation technologies to ensure connectivity,
Pacific Islands, most services are deliv- of modern e-commerce, e-government, reliability, and cost-efficiency for its
ered via satellite. e-education, and e-health applications customers.
However, providers that work with a has transformed island life. Looking ahead, SpeedCast is building
variety of customers are often able to Telecommunications companies are on its already strong presence within
apply a tailored approach. This depends, able to remain competitively priced as the Pacific region and will strengthen its
for instance, on the requirements of the they work with experienced global sat- offering in certain areas.
customer and what is important to them ellite service providers to produce more With the internet of things and rapidly
e.g., internet services, WAN data, VOIP value out of the space segment, and give increasing internet based applications,
solutions or managed services. customers wider pipe at a better price. SpeedCast sees internet delivery as an
Using a managed service is like out- Deploying cost-efficient solutions across area with huge growth potential, particu-
sourcing - everything is taken care of the Pacific is key to the continued growth larly in places such as Fiji, the Solomon
by the provider. Benefits of this include of the region. Islands, and New Zealand.
the ability to prioritise certain services Connectivity is vital to ensure the The latter is particularly noteworthy as
over others. quality of life is high for remote loca- the government has recently announced
For instance, if a communications tions and working with an established, plans for a Rural Broadband Initiative
company, wholesale entity or UN agency reputable, and experienced provider will 2 (RBI2) to provide underserved areas
needs to prioritise Skype and voice calls ensure long-term plans are put in place. with high speed broadband.
over the rest of their services, some pro- Cellular backhaul is another service There are many options available
viders can do this. driving internet take-up in remote areas. when choosing a service provider. It’s
Unique technology enables the pro- For instance, Bmobile Vodafone in important to consider the kind of service
vider to view the traffic coming through partnership with SpeedCast take full you are looking for, what technology
the network, including the applications advantage of their considerable invest- will work best for you and whether the
that are being run and tag the applica- ment in upgrading their network to 3G service provider can meet your needs.
tions that need to be prioritised. in the Solomon Islands. Partnering with a trusted and experi-
In effect, the provider can delve into Due to the challenging geography and enced service provider can reduce time,
the customer network to analyse it and sheer scale of the Solomon’s topography, cost and effort, which enables busi-
make it perform better. mobile network coverage was inconsis- nesses to focus on their core business.
This level of expertise, experience and tent and varied from island to island.
detail is what differentiates one service Through a combination of technolo- q Nick Miller is the Head of Sales -
provider from another. gies, including a cellular backhaul up- Pacific for Speedcast
Another way to differentiate one pro- grade, a new 4.5m antenna and new

Islands Business February 2017 29