O3b
Networks today
announced a
multi-year agreement
to provide trunking
services to Norfolk
Telecom. Under the
agreement, Norfolk
Telecom
will use O3b as
their backhaul
provider from
Norfolk Island to
the Internet.
Norfolk Telecom is
the incumbent
provider on Norfolk
Island for mobile
and fixed line
telephone services
and internet
services. Currently
all of the Island’s
telephone and data
traffic are routed
to New Zealand by
Geo-stationary
satellite. The
switch to O3b will
allow Norfolk
Telecom to
significantly
increase its
bandwidth, improving
data rates and
response times.
Kim Davies,
General Manager of
Norfolk Telecom
said:
“We are delighted to
be announcing this
agreement. The new
O3b capacity will
allow real time
applications to be
used for the first
time such as
internet gaming,
healthcare, video on
demand, e-commerce
and e-learning. O3b
will revolutionize
the internet for the
people of Norfolk
Island and will
especially allow the
Islands young people
high speed access to
e-learning for
education.”
Steve Collar, CEO,
O3b said: “Accessing
O3b’s affordable and
ubiquitous bandwidth
with the performance
and speed of fiber,
Norfolk island will
enjoy much improved
connectivity. Compared to
the conventional
Geostationary Orbit
(GEO) satellites
currently available,
O3b’s network
utilizes MEO (Medium
Earth Orbit)
satellites at much
lower altitudes.
This means that O3b
can offer fiber-like
speeds with lower
latency at more
affordable wholesale
pricing.”
