An O3b satellite with solar panels deployed. Photo: Ob3

[Via Satellite 01-20-2016] SpeedCast has launched service with O3b Networks, delivering satellite connectivity to Christmas Island and Papua New Guinea (PNG). The companies are working with the Christmas Island Internet Administration (CIIA) — the only Internet Service Provider (ISP) on Christmas Island — and with local PNG ISP, Seeto Kui’s MyNet ISP, who will rollout a low latency, citywide Wi-Fi distribution in Lae, PNG, using the new service.

Since launching the O3b service on Christmas Island, SpeedCast reports a 300 percent increase in data usage. In the city of Lae, SpeedCast has deployed the second of six O3b terminals in PNG, and will provide carrier-grade access between the core network and global Internet backbone by using international Points of Presence (POPs), regional gateways and local satellite access from O3b Networks and others.