Pactel International equips remote communities in Kiribati with internet links

1 September 2010

In August 2010, Pactel International has partnered up with TSKL, a local telecommunications carrier in the Republic of Kiribati, to supply its residents with internet links via RICS (Rural Internet Connectivity System).  This partnership has enabled internet services to be supplied into the most remote areas of the country.

Andrew Taylor, CEO of Pactel International said: “Countries like the Republic of Kiribati are our prime focus in the Pacific Islands and we acknowledge the importance of internet links like these into the remote regions. We appreciate the trust local operators like TSKL have in our abilities to deliver vital telecommunication services, which whole communities can depend on”.

The RICS (Rural Internet Connectivity System) is designed to provide 2-way Internet connectivity to all of the Pacific Island Countries with internet download speeds between 256kbits/second and 2,048kbits/second, using a 1.2m KU band antenna. Bandwidth can be contended in 1:4 and 1:10 ratio.

RICS is directly connected to Pactel’s US Tier 1 backbone via GE-23 at 172° East (in Hawaii) and provides unprecedented performance and low latency. It is based on the cutting edge SHIRON DVB-S2 ACM Intersky platform, utilizing the latest modulation techniques to ensure reliability, availability and throughput. 

Self-installation is the key part in RICS service. It allows end users to perform the commissioning of the Satellite dish independently, saving costly professional installation fees. RICS runs on 110V/220V or 24 Volts and consumes only 35 Watts of power, resulting in compatibility with solar equipment.