Many events, such as outdoor activities and field trips, take place in remote areas, but satellite broadband offers a way to stay connected to the world.

The last couple of years has seen a huge emphasis on the role of live-streaming in enabling virtual and hybrid events. However, while virtual events have become a necessity to help stem the spread of the pandemic, they will continue to remain important only because they make events more accessible.

While obtaining the right live-streaming equipment is, of course, paramount to any successful event that is to be accessed remotely, it all ultimately depends on the quality and speed of the internet connection. There is simply no workaround for this limitation and, given that many remote event venues have no connectivity infrastructure at all, this has long proven a difficult challenge to overcome.

Here are the most common connectivity challenges of organizing events in remote venues:

• Enabling access to remote event attendees in places with little or no connectivity
• Keeping informed with day-to-day updates during fast-moving events
• Providing internet coverage to large outdoor areas
• Ensuring consistently high upload speeds for streaming in high-definition

The lack of connectivity can also be problematic for those preparing for the event. For example, the World Rally Champion Hayden Paddon has spent the past year developing the world’s first fully electrically powered rally car – a feat involving a great many test drives in remote areas of New Zealand.

Without access to the internet, other than the occasional weak mobile signal, it would have been much harder to stay connected with the wider world. Fortunately, the issue was addressed with the help of Kacific’s Gigstarter solution.

The Kacific Gigstarter covers all of New Zealand and most of the wider APAC region, making it possible for Hayden and his team to communicate better and find resources online easily as he develops this latest EV car for the next rally. All you need is a line of sight to the sky and a 1.2m VSAT terminal to enjoy download and upload speeds of up to 70Mbps and 15Mbps respectively.

How satellite broadband helps event organizers

Until recently, connectivity has been a barrier to attendance for large outdoor festivals that spans multiple days, and in the more remote locations. However, with satellite internet coverage, such venues can now enjoy comparable connectivity similar to urban areas.

For the organisers to live-stream the event, and for the participants to share their experiences online, upload speeds are more important than download speeds. Often, at large-scale events, lag is experienced due to a large number of people on the bandwidth at the same time.

With the Kacific FlexVNO service, event organisers would be able to adjust the upload speeds accordingly based on the demand, with more than Mbps upload speeds per location on a standard 1.2m terminal. This allows the event organizers to ensure that the live stream proceeds smoothly, and for the participants to enjoy the online interactions.

As much as everyone is looking forward to the permanent and sustainable return of in-person events, the online component is undeniably here to stay. By bringing satellite broadband into the mix, event organizers can open up the world for in-person and remote attendees alike, through live-streaming on TV and video hosting websites. On top of that, satellite broadband can even bring events that were never possible to attend in-person in the first place to the wider world.

Another huge benefit of satellite broadband is that it is fully portable. By contrast, even though fixed-line fiber-optic broadband offers the highest connection speed, it also comes with a geo-fence. Satellite connectivity, delivered by small and portable VSAT terminals, allows you to stay connected during traveling events as well since they can easily be carried in a normal car.

In Vanuatu, the SMART Sistas is an organization promoting female digital literacy with hackathon events in educational institutions for the ladies to participate and learn more about digital applications. In 2021, the SMART Sistas ran into a connectivity issue with their original internet provider during the “SheHacks” hackathon for 60 participants.

Within half a day’s notice, our local Internet Service Provider, 3Link Communications, was able to restore internet services at the Vanuatu National Provincial Forum conference room. Because of the portability of Kacific’s VSAT terminals and the quick turnaround and deployment of Kacific Gigstarter service, the girls were able to connect with their overseas mentor, resulting in a resounding success for the hackathon with successful applications programmed by the girls.

This is an easily deployable and affordable connectivity solution as Kacific’s VSAT terminals are now made even more affordable with the launch of the MDM 2010 Modem – bringing the cost down by more than 40%. Today, a terminal kit costs only USD 560 in most markets, excluding local installation costs.

For events like traveling circuses or concert tours, satellite broadband makes it possible to always stay connected to the wider world. When needed, Kacific can also provide solar panels and battery packs to keep your VSAT terminals always on, which also means they can provide broadband internet in settings where there is no electrical infrastructure.

From sailing regattas to small field trips in the midst of nature, universal broadband connectivity is the key to greater inclusivity.

Kacific is a next-generation broadband satellite operator providing coverage throughout the Asia Pacific region. You can use our solutions to support the live-streaming of events in remote areas where other connectivity options are rarely available. Contact us today to find out more.