AelanSat

Available through internet provider retailers from December 2021, satellite service AelanSat promises to deliver bandwidth to every corner of Vanuatu and its Pacific Island neighbours. Teleporting in Vanuatu and Solomon Islands, and leveraging Interchange’s submarine cable network, AelanSat offers true last-mile connectivity for telecom operator backhaul, private wide-area network (WAN) links and broadband internet connections.

Satellite is the most appropriate form of communications technology for domestic backhaul in a country like Vanuatu, with its small population spread across 83 islands.

The technology behind AelanSat is sourced from US technology supplier, Intelsat, which operates the world’s largest and most secure satellite communications network, covering 99 per cent of the globe. Interchange and Vanuatu will have a direct connection to the satellite network, making it more secure and less exposed to cyber threats than other operators in the region that rely on links to base stations in other countries to communicate with satellites.

The wholesale cost of bandwidth is expected to drop with the introduction of AelanSat, which should translate into cheaper internet for customers in Vanuatu.

The Government of Vanuatu purchases large quantities of bandwidth using the existing subsea cable. The AelanSat service will be able to deliver this capacity to hospitals, schools and other essential services in the outer islands using a direct link to Port Vila.