Satellite Operator Kacific to Improve Broadband Internet Access in Nepal

Kacific Broadband Satellites Group (Kacific), a satellite operator providing a high-speed broadband internet service, has now expanded its service to Nepal.

The satellite operator successfully tested a Ka band terminal in Nepal, carrying out performance measurements and completing its first WhatsApp call via its Kacific1 satellite.

According to Kacific, the test achieved speeds of 80 Mbps download and 16 Mbps upload speed. This successful first test of a satellite broadband service in Nepal opens the door for the full launch of a Ka band service.

Speaking after Kacific’s test and a WhatsApp call with Regional Director, Dhan Gurung, CEO Christian Patouraux said:

“This is a milestone event for the Nepalese people. The combination of difficult terrain and low population density means that Nepal faces more difficult challenges than most nations in providing many different types of infrastructure.

Fortunately, connectivity, which is widely recognised as a fundamental enabler for the construction of all other infrastructure as well as the provision of many other services, can be readily addressed using satellite technology.

Because the Kacific1 satellite already covers Nepal, we can rapidly increase the take-up rate for broadband.

To reach people in remote areas, all that has to happen is for a qualified installer to set up a small 1.2 metre diameter dish, point it at the sky, and then a school, a clinic, a local authority, a business or a community can access everyone and everything on the internet.“

Kacific provides internet service to its customers using its communication satellite named Kacific1. By using communication satellites to provide internet connection, it is able to reach even hilly areas of Nepal that have not yet received fiber internet.

Kacific1 is Kacific’s first Ka-band high-throughput satellite (HTS) built by a global aerospace company Boeing.

It was deployed into geostationary orbit (GEO) inside SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in December 2019 and will use 56 Ka-band high-throughput spot beams to deliver broadband to 25 nations in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands.

The Ka band is a frequency band that ranges from 26.5 GHz to 40 GHz and is primarily used in satellite communication. The Kacific1 satellite also uses this band for satellite internet access.

In March 2021, Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) approved the use of Ka band spectrum (19.7-21.2 GHz downlink, 29.5-31GHz uplink) in Nepal, enabling Kacific to establish a nationwide broadband service.

The operator, however, does not provide the service directly to the end consumer. It offers the service through network service providers (NSP) and internet service providers (ISP).

It has partnered with Spacelink to offer Kacific Gigstarter plans with 7 unlimited plan options. The flagship plan offers a speed of up to 40 Mbps (30 Mbps download speed, 10 Mbps upload speed) with prices from Rs. 31,950 per month.

The plans will come with the MDM2010 satellite modem, a two-way, high-throughput satellite modem, and the VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal), a compact and simple-to-install satellite communication system. However, users must pay a set amount up front for the installation, system, and device.

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