[Satnews] O3b Networks and SpeedCast International Limited (SpeedCast) announces that SpeedCast has launched service on the state-of-the-art O3b satellite network that enables the Christmas Island Internet Administration (CIIA)—the only Internet Service Provider (ISP) on Christmas Island—the ability to provide broadband connectivity to the island’s residents, businesses and visitors—SpeedCast is now delivering for CIIA the first true broadband internet service experienced on the island.

Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean with an approximate population of 2,100 people, is geographically close to Indonesia. The island earned its unique name by being discovered on the 25th of December, 1643 by Captain William Mynors of the British Royal Navy, and is famous for its 135 square km Australian National Park.

Since launching the O3b service on Christmas Island, there has been a 300 percent increase in data usage. Substantially improved performance delivered over the network has accelerated the consumption of bandwidth as the improved experience for consumers dramatically increases their appetite for data.  CIIA continues to improve its monitoring and billing systems to provide better tools to the subscribers to monitor their use, and has available capacity through O3b to continue increasing bandwidth for its customers when needed.

O3b’s network of satellites provide broadband services almost 5 times faster than the geostationary (GEO) satellite system previously used by CIIA. CIIA is using O3b’s next-generation IP trunking solution, O3bTrunk, that boosts existing link capacities to rival the connection quality of terrestrial fiber, while avoiding the prohibitive cost of laying an undersea cable to the island.

SpeedCast is one of the leading providers of satellite connectivity in both the Oceanic and Pacific Island regions, providing services to a large percentage of the island nations and territories across these regions.  This latest service rollout with O3b on Christmas Island follows a string of successes and highlights SpeedCast’s commitment to delivering best-in-class connectivity and services around the globe.