View over Kapa, Vava’u island group, Kingdom of Tonga. Photo: David Broad, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Digicel is expanding its partnership with SES for disaster resiliency in Tonga throgh the O3b satellite constellation. The Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO) constellation will support connectivity in Tonga while the undersea communication cable is being repaired. 

In January, Tonga experienced a volcano eruption and tsunami that damaged undersea communication links. Digicel utilized SES Geostationary (GEO) satellite capacity in the immediate wake of the disaster. This new agreement will provide MEO services while the damaged cable connecting the islands of Vava’u and Tongatapu in Tonga undergoes repair. Once the cable is fully repaired, it will become a resiliency service to the main cable that connects the island to Tongatapu.

SES and Digicel announced the agreement Sept. 14, financial terms were not disclosed. 

“The islands in the Pacific are highly vulnerable to natural disasters, and it is vital during such crises to have resilient network connectivity. This is crucial in ensuring relief efforts can go smoothly and the affected populations can connect with their families and loved ones living in other parts of the world,” said John Turnbull, director of Pacific Region at SES.