Australians in offshore locations will have instant satellite access following
Multiemedia satellite communications arm, NewSat’s completion of a proofof-
concept test with Austrade and its new sister division NewSat Networks.
The concept involved the development of a portable communications
equipment kit which can be rapidly deployed to supply access to secure communications,
branded ‘Post in a Box’ (PIAB). The kit, containing a folding satellite
dish which when connected, links the portable post directly to Austrade’s Canberra office with permanent satellite dish, was designed to be shipped anywhere
around the globe providing Austrade users with fast and reliable broadband
capabilities in any location.
The kit was specially developed for Austrade and takes around 20 minutes
to assemble.
Located between the two sites is the NSS6 geostationary satellite used by
both NewSat and NewSat Networks. The satellite coverage extends from Moscow
South to Johannesburg, and East to encompass all of Australia as well as
North and South East Asia. This allows the ‘Post in a Box’ kit to be positioned
anywhere within this area, and achieve rapid connection to the rest of the Austrade
network. Extreme testing of the ‘Post in a Box’ kit involved trialling it in
South East Asia and the Middle East during June and July this year.
Austrade Manager IT Platform Operations Ian Bennett said the satellite
link proved to be very stable and provided equal, or in some cases superior,
communications speed and bandwidth compared to existing post links. “Not
only data, such as e-mails and web access, is supported, but also voice and
even videoconferencing was tested. The dish is weatherproof and withstood
torrential rainstorms in South East Asia followed by 50 degree heat in the Middle
East.”
MUL
multiemedia limited
