Kacific Broadband Satellite provides a “wider and more resilient communications infrastructure” for the Kingdom of Tonga.
Singapore-based Kacific already has a relationship with Tonga through Tonga Communications Corp. (TCC) and provides a mobile satellite backhaul solution that will improve connectivity in underserved areas, and an enterprise-level backup service will help mitigate the impact of future outages.
TCC is Tonga’s only landline service provider, and a provider of broadband internet and mobile phone services, with the widest cellular network coverage in Tonga as well as branches in the outer islands.
Since June 2022, a mobile backhaul solution has been deployed to improve the resilience of the two Niuas islands. Two other satellite terminal sites, one in Vavau and one in Ha’apai, have been commissioned to provide connectivity, as the Tonga Home Cable Extension undergoes major repairs. It was damaged during the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption in January 2022.
In addition to these four outlying island sites, a 4.5 meter terminal, which can facilitate a higher level of bandwidth utilization, has been installed in Tonga in recent weeks. TCC and Kacific are currently working on the commissioning of Atele Terminal, TCC’s strategic emergency site, in Tongatapu. It will be used as an enterprise-level backup option in the event of future outages or damage to the international fiber cable connecting Nuku’alofa to Suva, Fiji.
Kacific says some of the capacity allocated to terminals on the outer islands can be reallocated to the 4.5-meter terminal in Nuku’alofa, as part of a fiber backup. This will ensure that the capital has access to high-speed connectivity for critical applications in the event of a fiber outage.
“We are committed to providing satellite services in Tonga to meet the country’s connectivity needs and ensure its resilience. We have a strong partnership with Tonga Communications Corporation, having worked together to provide emergency capacity in January 2022 following the fiber cut,” said Christian Patouraux, CEO of Kacific. “With TCC, we look forward to being part of Tonga’s digital future, which is underpinned by greater connectivity options and improved infrastructure resilience.”
According to the Global Risk Report 2021, Tonga is ranked third in the world for disaster risk, behind Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. In a comparison of continents, Oceania has the highest disaster risk, mainly due to its high exposure to extreme natural events.
