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Kacific to provide wide-ranging satellite connectivity services for Tuvalu
School children accessing Kacific satellite services at Lotohoni Primary School on Nanumaga island, Tuvalu; Credits: Kacific
Kacific Broadband Satellites Group (Kacific) has signed a five-year agreement with the Government of Tuvalu to provide the Pacific Island nation with high-speed broadband internet connectivity via satellite. The bandwidth, supplied by Kacific’s high-throughput satellite Kacific1, will connect agencies, businesses, and communities across Tuvalu’s nine islands with high-quality internet. Under the agreement, Tuvalu, through the Ministry of Justice, Communication and Foreign Affairs, will take all available capacity – a total commitment of 150MHz – from the dedicated high-throughput beam Kacific has positioned over Tuvalu’s Exclusive Economic Zone. This will give Tuvalu unprecedented volume and flexibility for communications and create an immediate step change in internet availability and affordability for the nation’s citizens.
Under the agreement, Kacific will provide a comprehensive turnkey service comprising:
400Mbps to 600Mbps of satellite capacity depending on size of terminals
Sixty 1.2 metre VSAT terminals (satellite dishes) for schools, medical clinics, government agencies and small businesses for immediate connection
Forty outdoor WiFi access points to support community connectivity with WiFi hotspots
Three maritime antennae to connect ferry services
One 4.5 metre, one 2.4 metre and nine 1.8 metre Ka-band antennae to provide trunking and backhaul services for the mobile phone network
Kacific will also provide installation services for the 4.5 metre antenna as well as training and technical support. With Kacific’s services, the capital and Outer Islands of Tuvalu will all have access to a high-quality communications infrastructure.
“Tuvalu’s agreement with Kacific is a game-changing project that will transform the lives of many Tuvaluans,” said Tuvalu’s Minister for Justice, Communication and Foreign Affairs Honourable Simon Kofe. “Through this type of agreement, the Government is currently working to majorly reform Tuvalu’s telecom sector in order to provide the widest possible range of efficient, reliable, and affordable telecommunications and information services to all of Tuvalu. It is hoped that these reforms will promote socio-economic development and create a modern enabling environment that encourages innovation, investment, and job creation.”
“Tuvalu has demonstrated real vision in making this commitment,” said Christian Patouraux, CEO and founder of Kacific.“It will enable the Government of Tuvalu to adopt a holistic approach to ensure that all its people, whether remote or urban, have equal access to high-speed internet. This approach will improve domestic and international connectivity, reduce disparities and vulnerability, and ease the burden on those living on remote islands. It will make a significant difference to education, health, business and democratic participation throughout the nation.”
“Kacific’s satellite technology is remarkably effective in providing both affordable, accessible broadband to remote areas and a range of other services, including mobile backhaul, maritime, disaster recovery and backup. This is a significant step for Tuvalu to become more resilient.”
Tuvalu is a Pacific Island nation with a population of approximately 11,192. It comprises three reef islands and six atolls and has a total land area of 26 square kilometres, making it one of the world’s smallest nations in terms of land territory. It is susceptible to the impacts of climate change, and the sea level at the tide gauge for the capital island Funafuti has risen at 3.9 mm per year, which is approximately twice the global average. Tuvalu is also affected by El Niño and La Niña weather systems.
