Satellite broadband: bringing high-speed affordable internet to private island resorts

Bambunet, powered by Kloche Communications, is a local internet service provider partnered with Singapore-based satellite operator Kacific.WITH international tourism coming back onto the agenda in Southeast Asia, governments have been working hard to make up for lost time. Like other countries in the region, the Philippines opened its borders on April 1, easing health protocols and welcoming international visitors.Before Covid-19, the travel and tourism industry contributed approximately 22.5 percent of the nation’s total GDP. Celebrated for its idyllic white sand beaches, lush islands and rich diversity of flora and fauna, the Philippines suffered greatly when tourist hotspots like Palawan, Cebu and Vigan emptied out and became mere echoes of their former selves. But according to The World Travel & Tourism Council, after a painful hiatus, the Filipino tourism sector is now firmly on the road to recovery.As travel businesses are fizzing with excitement and busy preparing for the influx of tourists after two years, it is important that the industry understands travellers’ changing needs. Among several new trends is the rise of “revenge travellers,” eager to celebrate the end of travel restrictions and prepared to pay for premium options, like luxury accommodation. Being an archipelagic country, the Philippines offers an exquisite range of private island resorts that are perfect for an intimate getaway. And the great news is that no matter how secluded these resorts are, their guests can stay connected just fine with satellite broadband.Situated in an isolated area of North-eastern Luzon, Isabela, Dipudo Private Island Resort is hidden from the world. Surrounded by jungle and the Sierra Madre mountains, the area isn’t covered by telecom operators. After installing satellite internet powered by Kacific’s high throughput Ka-band Kacific1 satellite, Dipudo Private Island Resort is able to provide a more connected experience for both guests and staff. The terminal was installed by Kacific’s local internet service provider, Bambunet powered by Kloche Communications.The Dipudo Private Island Resort in IsabelaNicole Maguire, who manages the resort, says that since it is connected with speeds of up to 100mbps using Bambunet’s Gigstarter plan, guests can easily FaceTime their loved ones and work online while exploring the pristine beauty of Dipudo. Reliable internet connectivity also allows the team at Dipudo Private Island Resort to conduct their daily back-office operations online and complete online courses with plenty of video lessons.Kacific1 is a GEO satellite, which means that it is capable of providing connectivity over a fixed large coverage area across all 7,640 islands in the Philippines. This, in turn, making it ideal for connecting private resorts nestled in out-of-the-way locations. Kacific’s Ka-band satellite technology provides higher throughput (meaning higher download and upload speeds for everyday usage) and is more affordable than its predecessors, Ku-band and C-band.Fast, easy-to-install and cost-effective satellite solutions like this give remote areas better opportunities to thrive through the help of stable internet connectivity. Another advantage is that the Ka-band satellite dishes are smaller than most Ku or C band terminals for a standard bandwidth throughput, thus are cheaper and easier to set up. And thanks to technological advances over the years, operators can now mitigate the effects of rain fade, allowing consistent speed and stable communication even in bad weather.Businesses with fiber internet connections can also use this technology as a reliable backup in case of outages in both power and connectivity.“I had researched many companies. Most prices were triple and up to ten times more expensive than Bambunet, so I decided to sign with them because they offered reasonable monthly rates”, says Nicole.Nicole adds: “We found the setup process easy and did not need a special technician on site. However, we did have phone support whilst positioning the satellite.”Got guests who like getting away from it all on a secluded island but don’t want to give up the internet? Contact Kacific’s local internet service provider in the Philippines, Bambunet powered by Kloche Communications, at www.bambunet.com or call (0998) 555 3243. SPONSORED CONTENT.