Strengthening social impact in the Philippines and the Pacific Islands by connecting 750 rural schools and hospitals
Singapore, 8 April 2024 – Kacific Broadband Satellites Group and Microsoft are collaborating to bring high-speed satellite internet access to 750 rural educational and healthcare institutions with a geographical coverage of 10 million across the Asia Pacific over the next two years using high-powered Ka-band beams from the Kacific1 satellite.
The initiative will connect schools and healthcare centres across Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Cook Islands, Samoa, and Timor-Leste, which will, in turn, connect the communities around them.
The project is part of Microsoft’s Airband initiative, which brings together internet and energy providers, government agencies, non-profits and the private sector to focus on closing the digital divide.
Case Study: Transformative Impact of the Partnership at Palawan Baptist Hospital
Palawan Baptist Hospital in the Philippines, which uses PhilHealth’s electronic claims system for claims management, serves as a great example of how this partnership between Kacific and Microsoft has bridged the digital divide and ultimately transformed lives. The infirmary previously used signal boosters, pocket Wi-Fi or prepaid Wi-Fi, but continued to experience unreliable and affordable connectivity. This posed a greater issue as all claims are processed online. Now, high-speed satellite internet access at the hospital has not only increased its efficiency and communication between hospitals, but also halved the costs for patients, as they no longer need to travel for hours to contact friends and family.
“Better internet access and streamlined communication for hospital transfers go hand in hand,” says Darren Jay Gacot, Head of Marketing, Communications & IT at Palawan Baptist Hospital.
Learn more about Palawan Baptist Hospital Case Study here.
Kacific’s Corporate Development Director, Beatrice Mok, says, “These new sites will contribute significantly to expanding highspeed affordable internet usage in isolated communities. Kacific has the expertise and ecosystem, having installed community networks in the Pacific Islands with Guarantco, and we are confident about working with Microsoft’s Airband initiative in the countries we serve.”
Kacific’s approach to bringing high-speed accessible internet connectivity to developing countries prioritises connecting education institutions and public health facilities, aligning with their commitment to ESG goals.
“We look at the size of the community, its requirements for connectivity and what it can afford to ensure each site benefits as many people as possible in a sustainable manner,” says Beatrice. “The sites for the project have been selected to ensure minimal overlapping coverage between the Wi-Fi hotspots (across both schools and clinics) and maximum population coverage in areas where the need is identified.”
“We believe access to the internet is a fundamental right, enabling economic opportunity for people, businesses, and governments. Our new collaboration with Kacific utilises satellite technology to connect communities within the Asia Pacific region that previously had limited or no access to conventional connectivity,” said Vickie Robinson, General Manager of Microsoft’s Airband Initiative. “Strategic alliances, like with Kacific, play a pivotal role in advancing access to connectivity and digital equity, particularly in some of the world’s most critical markets.”
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About Kacific
Founded in 2013, Kacific Broadband Satellites Group is a next-generation satellite operator providing access to affordable, reliable, high-speed broadband services across Asia and the Pacific. Kacific uses advanced Ka-band space and ground communications technologies to provide innovative services to governments, businesses, and communities. Today, as the largest Ka-band satellite operator in Asia-Pacific, Kacific fosters greater internet usage, fuels economic growth, supports disaster management and control, and improves the delivery of other critical services. To reach customers in the most remote areas, Kacific has actively recruited and trained a network of distributors and installers, providing support on the ground and creating local job opportunities.
Kacific1, which was launched back in 2019, connects underserved areas in 25 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Kacific2, which is currently in development, is equipped with advanced beam management technology and software-defined satellite (SDS) capabilities, making it fully reconfigurable with flexible beam allocation and high spectral efficiency. This new satellite will significantly extend Kacific’s coverage, addressing new markets comprising up to 1 billion people and meeting the demand for terabits per second (Tbps) of connectivity.
Kacific is an award-winning company, recognised with many awards, including Universal Broadband Award (Euroconsult’s Excellence in Space-based Connectivity Awards, 2023), Gold Stevie® Award for Achievement in Product Innovation with CommsBox (Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, 2023), Connecting the Unconnected (Global Telecoms Awards 2022), Outstanding Satellite Company (PCT Awards, 2022 and 2024), and Outstanding Innovation Award (PTC Awards, 2024).
Kacific is headquartered in Singapore and employs over 80 staff globally. For more information visit www.kacific.com or follow on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or YouTube.
About Microsoft Airband
Microsoft is committed to using the power of technology, data, and partnerships to advance and protect fundamental rights. The Airband Initiative advances meaningful connectivity high-speed internet access and the skills and tools to use operate online safely and productively – as a fundamental right.
Microsoft’s Airband Initiative partners with a wide-ranging ecosystem of organisations to design, implement and support programs that deliver unique connectivity solutions designed for local communities and their challenges. This includes working with internet and energy access providers, non-profits, government agencies, and other private sector companies to deliver internet access in unserved or underserved communities worldwide.
Airband has helped millions of people globally gain access to the internet and the economic and educational benefits that come with having affordable access.
For more information visit https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/corporate-responsibility/airband-initiative.
Media contacts
Kyley Tan
Kacific Broadband Satellites Ltd.
kyley@kacific.com
Allan Botica
Botica Butler Raudon Partners
allanb@botica.co.nz
+64 21 400 500