The Papua New Guinea (PNG) Government - through its implementing agency DataCo - with the assistance of the Australian Government, has contracted SES Networks to provide a broadband network for the 26th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum from October to December 2018.
SES will provide a managed data service that delivers 6Gbps of reliable and low-latency satellite-based connectivity to ensure the venues and delegates have high-speed internet access during the conference.
SES said the service will utilize capacity from SES’ O3b Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite fleet to supplement existing capacity into PNG and will utilize existing DataCo infrastructure.
To provide additional connectivity to the nation, SES Networks has created a new core network for DataCo to ensure detection and prevention of network intrusions.
The core network connects Port Moresby to two Australian cities and includes caching systems to ensure near-instant access to important content during the conference, such as news media and APEC-managed sites.
Two high-capacity connections using diverse O3b ground stations have been added in Port Moresby suburbs Gerehu and Boroko, and will be backhauled to gateways in Australia to ensure reliability of connectivity services.
“This investment is an important component of Australia’s broader internet connectivity support to PNG that includes the Coral Sea Cable System, which will connect Port Moresby and Sydney by a new fiber optic cable scheduled for delivery by late 2019,” said Australian minister for foreign affairs Marise Payne.