Satellite broadband: Accessible solution for disaster recovery and business continuity

Super Typhoon Odette (Rai) struck the Philippines in December 2021. Due to the torrential rains, violent winds, landslides, and storm surges, utility infrastructure was severely damaged. It left 269 cities and municipalities without energy and 348 areas with network outages. The complete restoration of service took several weeks.

Kacific restored BPO company’s operations in Odette’s aftermath

Ameeratel provides outsourcing of BPO, consulting, solutions, and other services. The company has 700 seats and almost 500 employees at present.

Roland Del Rosario, the Manager of AmeeraTel, an outsourcing firm in Cebu City, was one of several Filipino business executives who discovered themselves without internet connectivity at their workplace after the typhoon. AmeeraTel manages tasks such as technical support, customer care, and virtual assistance for clients from the UK, Australia, and the US.

“Without the internet, our operation will not work. We’re dependent on internet connectivity,” Rosario remarked. AmeeraTel and its 500 staff members needed the internet quickly; however, the repair job was not yet possible at that time. To guarantee fast internet from space, Rosario contacted satellite operator, Kacific.

The typhoon’s intense winds overturned utility poles, knocking down electric lines and causing outages across the province of Cebu.

Kacific utilizes the latest in satellite technology: Ka-band and high-throughput satellite (HTS) technology with its Kacific1 satellite. Compared to legacy C-band and Ku-band satellites, Ka-band satellites offer higher bandwidth throughput while utilizing smaller antenna diameters, which increases internet user upload and download speeds.

The terminals are small and easily deployable that can be mounted in just a few hours and can be powered by solar panels. It only requires a clear line of sight to connect many users quickly.

Ameeratel, Inc. was the first call center in Cebu City to get back online with help of the VSAT from TBGI, powered by Kacific.

Advantages of Ka-band Technology for emergency, backup, and remote business communication

  • Higher capacity

The reuse of Ka-band spectrum over spot beams with high-throughput satellite technology allows for high bandwidth efficiency as compared to traditional, wide coverage area satellites.

  • Faster speeds

The combination of a high data transfer rate and small diameter antenna allows Kacific to offer speeds of up to 50 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload via CommsBox, which helps enterprises to keep their backup safe and secure, even during fiber cuts, especially for companies who have their data backed up solutions on the cloud.

  • High link availability

The concentrated spot beams are high power, resulting in availabilities between 99.5% and 99.9%. Kacific also has two local teleports located in Subic Bay and Clark as its backup sites to ensure that connectivity remains available even in inclement weather.

  • Simple installation

Kacific-1 signal has circular polarization, meaning there is no need to adjust the polarization like with many other satellite systems. This greatly simplifies the installation process and enhances the system’s stability over long periods.

Businesses needing a high-speed fiber backup system can get Kacific satellite services from a local operator, Transpacific Broadband Group International (TBGI). The solution is intended for large corporations and organizations that require constant access to broadband internet for vital communications and web-based software. The service is always active and available as a “hot backup,” allowing a company to transition from fiber to satellite for connectivity.

Satellite Technology can help during natural disasters through CommsBox

Businesses need to be prepared for natural disasters that damage fiber cables and destroy mobile towers, leaving whole regions without communication. Kacific can ensure that they can keep communicating, use cloud-based systems, and access databases in the event of a failure.

Kacific CommsBox is a transportable, all-in-one satellite communications product that can be rapidly deployed in disaster zones when other communication channels fail. The turnkey solution is designed to meet the particular disaster response requirements of territories in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

The first-of-its-kind in disaster recovery solutions, Kacific CommsBox consists of pre-configured, solar-powered units which, with minimal setup, provide instant internet access to assist relief operations and connect users.

CommsBox units can be stored in remote locations or can be transported directly into disaster zones.

Each Kacific CommsBox includes:

  • A small auto-pointing satellite antenna
  • Preconfigured and connected modem and satellite electronics
  • Solar-power energy pack
  • WiFi access point
  • A user-tablet
  • A sealed, shock-resistant, fire-resistant, water-resistant, and transportable all-inclusive container
  • Unlimited high-speed data with first priority speeds of up to 50 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload

The satellite antenna connects to the Kacific1 satellite, which offers widespread coverage across the Asia Pacific, including islands, mountainous regions, and remote areas.

Kacific’s local Internet Service Provider, TBGI, helped AmeeraTel connect almost immediately to reliable Ka-band services. Thanks to satellite internet, the call center was one of the first in the area to get back online and be able to continue operations.

Due to these disaster risks, organizations should make solid resilience plans. Businesses must be ready so that their essential systems can quickly resume operations after extreme natural occurrences.

In catastrophic situations, ground-based technology is frequently destroyed or left without power, as Rosario discovered first-hand during Typhoon Odette (Rai). Businesses are increasingly searching for cutting-edge solutions, like satellite services, to ensure they can keep communicating, use cloud-based systems, and access databases in the event of a failure.

As we rely so heavily on energy, backup generators are crucial tools frequently utilized in places like hospitals. However, voice and internet services are equally important to the modern economy. Satellite connectivity is therefore essential to disaster recovery, emergency, and business continuity planning.

To learn more about using satellite internet as an affordable, high-speed backup service, contact TBGI at 0917 583 7971 or learn more on www.tbgi.net.ph.

For more information on Kacific’s satellite technology, visit www.kacific.com or contact sales@kacific.com.

Apply to be a Kacific Authorized Distributor today, visit https://kacific.com/distributor-network to know more.

 


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