Docks on the coast of Port Moresby. Photo: Kahunapule Michael Johnson

[Via Satellite 01-21-2015] SpeedCast International has entered an agreement with O3b Networks to use its satellites to provide high throughput, low latency services to Papua New Guinea. O3b’s network of Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites will support voice and data services with latency of less than 150 milliseconds, while SpeedCast’s traditional Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO)-based satellite network will serve as a redundant backup.

SpeedCast plans to use O3b capacity for its new high bandwidth IP Trunk from capital city of Port Moresby to an international Internet backbone. The company recently acquired Oceanic Broadband Services, a Papua New Guinea-based telecommunications provider, along with its new teleport facilities in Port Moresby in 2014. SpeedCast has plans to expand to other territories in the Pacific.

O3b recently brought a number of Pacific customers live on its MEO High Throughput Satellite (HTS) network. The company expects satellite connectivity will surpass the growth of fiber in the region as of this year.