Satellite Networks

Satellite bandwidth speeds up Cook Islands’ connectivity

A new bandwidth agreement will provide for high speed Internet connectivity to five of the islands in the southern group of the Cook Islands archipelago.

Aitutaki, Atui, Mangaia, Mitiaro and Mauke will faster internet services at the same time as Rarotonga , with O3b Networks supplying bandwidth through its Medium Earth Orbit satellite constellation. Mitiaro will receive faster internet via a microwave radio link.

In 2011, Telecom Cook Islands signed an agreement with O3b for the provision of high speed Internet connectivity for Rarotonga. This extended agreement will allow Telecom Cook Islands to cost effectively distribute the bandwidth between Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Atui, Mangaia, and Mauke. As a result, each island will receive more than 20x the bandwidth they enjoy today.

“This high speed broadband connectivity will support the Cook Islands 2011-2015 Sustainable Development goals of Infrastructure for economic growth, sustainable livelihoods & resilience; and Opportunity for all people who live in the Cook Islands,” said Jules Maher, CEO of Telecom Cook Islands.

“This new agreement with the Cook Islands showcases the benefit of fibre-like performance delivered over a satellite network. The ultra low latency and vast bandwidth provides everything that fibre can, but in addition delivers and shares the bandwidth between several landing points across multiple distributed islands – something that fibre does not do,” said Steve Collar, CEO of O3b Networks.

The state-of-the-art broadband network will have a highly beneficial impact on the local economy of the outer Cook Islands, connecting its citizens and entrepreneurs with their peers and business partners elsewhere in the world. The new deal with O3b will allow the Cook Islands to reallocate existing satellite capacity to provide a better service to the Northern Group.

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