New connectivity service: Satellite internet for businesses

Did you know that SEACOM now offers Satellite Internet Access? This is a reliable and redundant connectivity option for businesses in South Africa – particularly for those in remote and rural areas of the country where a terrestrial fibre optic network is not yet pervasive.

This service uses satellite technology to provide businesses across South Africa with dependable, high-speed internet connectivity. We currently use two types of satellites for this connectivity service; VSAT and LEO. There are other forms of satellite networks that we offer but these are highly customised to meet your needs.

Knowing your satellite internet options: VSAT and LEO

Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) and Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites are the two main options for this internet access. VSAT is the conventional method and makes use of geostationary satellites, which are situated around 36 000 kilometres above the equator.

Although VSAT has shown to be a dependable choice for remote internet access, video conferencing, point of sales (POS), ATMs and general office work, applications like online gaming that demand instantaneous reaction may suffer from latency. This is why we also offer LEO connectivity.

LEO is a relatively new technology that uses a group of smaller satellites to orbit the planet at a considerably lower altitude, usually between 800 and 1200 km. Even in the most remote places, you may get near-terrestrial-grade internet because of the much lower latency that comes with this closer proximity.

Who needs satellite internet?

Satellite internet is perfect for a range of commercial uses. Firstly, the majority of companies signing up for satellite internet are using it for redundancy. These include companies in the financial services sector, healthcare and retail. While they may be located in city centres, they are using satellite internet as a secure backup connectivity option.

Secondly, it's being used to establish remote branch office connectivity to facilitate communication and data exchange. Mines and mineral extraction companies, for example, can keep vital lines of communication open between central management facilities and outlying mining sites.

Satellite connectivity can also benefit farmers by establishing an internet connection to enable data gathering, remote monitoring, and access to essential data and resources. Public sector organisations and educational institutions can promote access to information, education, healthcare, and other necessities by bridging the digital gap between government offices, clinics, and schools in underprivileged communities.

The requirements for satellite internet access

Despite having a rapidly expanding economy, a sizable segment of the population in South Africa lives in rural and isolated locations. These citizens and their businesses may lack access to dependable internet connectivity. While fibre optic infrastructure is the gold standard for high-speed internet, it’s expensive to roll out to certain geographic areas.

Where traditional choices fail, SEACOM's Satellite Internet Access fills the gap in the digital divide by providing a strong and dependable connection. With satellite connectivity, the time of deployment is far less than building out physical infrastructure - we're talking weeks versus months.

What makes our service unique is that we offer a dedicated two-way circuit that runs straight from your company's premises to the teleport facility in Krugersdorp. This improves performance, bandwidth and consistency for our clients.

From terminal installation and site survey to configuration and continuous support, our team of skilled engineers will manage every aspect of the project with end-to-end engineering. SEACOM offers industry-leading Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that ensure the performance of our Satellite Internet Access. To support your company activities, you can count on a steady and dependable connection through these SLAs.

Our goal at SEACOM is to enable South African businesses and advance digital inclusivity. With dependable and fast internet access available to even the most remote regions, our satellite internet access service ushers in a new era of connectivity. For more information about our satellite internet solutions or to get a quote, email us at marketing@seacom.com or leave us a message.

SEACOM owns Africa’s most extensive network of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure, including subsea cables and secure internet connections. We offer a diverse range of flexible, scalable and high-quality solutions for businesses that meet world-class standards for connectivity.

SEACOM is privately owned and operated, making it agile and adaptable to the needs of the customer. This makes us the preferred ICT and internet connectivity partner for African businesses and peripheral service providers. We can guarantee high-speed, low-latency and secure internet connections to corporates and small enterprises.

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