Bridging far-flung locations with reliable communications

Companies realize the need for an efficient and reliable communications infrastructure between and across multiple locations or branches for better information-sharing and increased productivity.

But given the geographical attributes of the country, with its over 7,000 islands, providing a quality communication link between the head office and a branch or an operations plant located in a far-flung area can be a challenge.

Take the case of Toronto Ventures Inc., which needed a communication link for Internet connectivity and voice and data transmission between its head office in Ortigas in Metro Manila and its mining operations in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte.

To address this concern, Bayan Telecommunications (BayanTel) linked TVI’s office and its mining operations via its IP VSAT service, a flexible and cost-efficient communication solution across multiple locations in far-flung areas where a physical cable link may not be feasible.

IP VSAT is short for Internet Protocol Very Small Aperture Terminal, an earthbound station used in satellite communications of data, voice and video signals through the use of a dish or transceiver placed outdoors in direct line of sight to the satellite.

The IP technology optimizes the use of transponder space, providing significant savings and extensive reach and flexibility in implementation.

Joevel Rivera, BayanTel vice president for product development, said BayanTel’s IP VSAT service is available for different bandwidth options and supports voice, data, Internet and video.

"The service also supports all IP applications such as virtual private networks, voice over IP and wide area networks. The service is available in any weather condition and is available for domestic and international deployment," he said.

"A major competitive advantage of BayanTel’s IP VSAT is that it can more efficiently use the satellite transponder bandwidth, resulting in better cost. And this is without compromising the committed bandwidth connection to the customer, 24 hours and seven days a week," Rivera said.

He said this solution is not only good for far-flung areas but can also be a cost-effective connectivity backup across several key business sites.

"Whenever the terrestrial link in any of these sites is out of service, network traffic can automatically be routed to the satellite link. This ensures zero network interruption for mission-critical applications," he added.

Junie Pama, vice president for corporate and business markets, said the launch of the IP VSAT underscored BayanTel’s goal to be a leading provider of IP-based services in the country.

"We are confident that our IP VSAT will attract corporate customers who require connectivity in far-flung areas using a cost-effective solution. At the same time, our customers can rely on our proven track record, with more than 300 active VSAT installations nationwide, our robust and high-grade satellite network complemented by our integrated, nationwide fiber optic terrestrial backbone, and our excellent customer service," Pama said.