Singapore, 13 April 2022 — Kacific and GuarantCo have won the Cooperation of the Year Award at the Satcoms Innovation Group Awards for setting a new global benchmark in delivering affordable and reliable satellite internet to underserved markets.
In this award-winning project, Kacific and GuarantCo rapidly equipped vulnerable communities in Asia Pacific with high-speed and reliable internet services to support their public health response to the Covid-19 virus.
As the global pandemic affected nations, communications became critical for health responses, emergency evacuation, and disaster recovery. Many rural and underserved communities found themselves in need of connectivity greater than ever.
In partnership with GuarantCo, Kacific secured a grant from the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) Technical Assistance to deploy networks of high-speed WiFi hotspots at schools, health clinics, and community halls. Under this project more than 200 locations received free terminals at no initial investment, and an additional free 30GB of data to support medical services.
Kacific worked with local agencies, including the Sustainable Development Program in Papua New Guinea and the Vanuatu Ministry of Health to connect vulnerable communities in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, and the Philippines. The project provided much-need connectivity to support Governments and local communities during the pandemic.
The SIG Awards celebrate the contributions that companies, individuals, and educational institutions have made to help the satellite communications industry. The Cooperation of the Year Award was created to recognise companies for a project where cooperation was vital to overcoming a specific industry challenge.