The University Of The South Pacific Upgrades Regional Campus Network With iDirect’s Evolution Platform

June 22, 2011

iDirect, Inc. announced that the University of the South Pacific (USP), a regional institution owned by the governments of 12 countries, has switched its VSAT service to iDirect’s Evolution platform. With Evolution, USP is equipped to improve the efficiency, stability and scalability of its network, which provides Internet access, course management applications, and video and audio conferencing services to its campuses.  USP has purchased an iDirect 5IF satellite hub as well as Evolution X3 and X5 remote routers. iDirect is a world leader in satellite-based IP communications technology.

Since 2000, USP has owned and operated USPNet, its regional satellite network that keeps its 12 campuses across the South Pacific connected. As USPNet grew, several stability and efficiency issues began to affect its performance. During high-congestion periods, for example, the quality of individual services suffered, including Internet, video conferencing and the course management system relied on by students and faculty. This, coupled with the network’s limited bandwidth capacity, prevented USPNet from effectively expanding or meeting the needs of its users.

By implementing iDirect’s Evolution platform, USP has been able to improve its network stability and efficiency. Evolution’s built-in Group Quality of Service feature has allowed USP to avoid service degradation by effectively controlling how available bandwidth resources are allocated to each application running on the network. And since Evolution is based on the next-generation DVB-S2 transmission standard with Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM), USP has been able to improve its bandwidth efficiency by 10 Mbps while increasing overall network capacity.

With the efficiency gains provided by Evolution, USP will use the extra bandwidth to also launch a new Ku-band network later this year. The Ku-band network will extend the reach of USPNet beyond the existing C-band service, providing connectivity to sub-campuses located on remote islands of its member countries. Using Evolution’s built-in ACM, USP will be able to overcome potential rain or solar fade issues, which typically affect Ku-band services in tropical locations. 

“USPNet is perhaps our most important development in the last decade. It represents the University’s broader commitment towards multi-modal, flexible learning and teaching by remaining at the forefront of communication and information technologies. With Evolution, we’re able to fulfill that vision, enhancing our student and staff experience by improving network stability and increasing bandwidth efficiency by almost 300% for critical educational tools and course management applications,” Kisione Finau, Director - Information Technology Services, USP

“Given the high costs of bandwidth in the South Pacific, it’s critical that USP is able to utilize its bandwidth resources as efficiently as possible, especially in providing critical distance education and Internet access across a decentralized region. With Evolution, the University has realized significant bandwidth savings that will enable it to expand USPNet so it can continue to provide greater access to education for remote island communities with limited resource..” Commented  John Arnold, Regional Vice President - Sales, Asia Pacific, iDirect.