We’re proud to announce that we’ve won the Australian Space Industry Award at the ACOMM Awards 2021 for our Business Internet-Satellite solution, developed with nbn.

Hosted by the Communications Alliance, the award recognises excellence in the provision of satellite communications or satellite/space-related products and services in the services industry.

Our solution has made it easier and more affordable for enterprise, government, and wholesale to invest and operate in regional and remote Australia, bringing benefits for both businesses and the surrounding communities, and cements our position as a leading enabler of Australia’s satellite industry.

The challenge of reaching remote & regional areas

Vocus Business Internet-Satellite is an innovative solution that was developed in conjunction with nbn to solve a major problem for businesses operating in regional and rural Australia. Telecommunications in these hard-to-reach areas has been notoriously unreliable and expensive—and that’s when a business or community manages to get communications there in the first place. Many of these locations, particularly in Western Australia and Northern Territory, are barely accessible by road, adding another layer of difficulty for communications and infrastructure projects.

This has meant that companies in sectors like resources, mining, and utilities have been loath to invest in these areas, despite being otherwise excellent locations for large-scale operations. The cost of bringing telecommunications infrastructure to these areas has been prohibitive to building or expanding operations. In those cases when it has been done, the resulting connections have been patchy and inefficient, making businesses reluctant to continue with further investments.

This has led to a myriad of challenges. Businesses are limited in their expansion goals because of a lack of infrastructure, or the significant capital required to invest in technology that can’t keep up with the modern day demands of large sites. Remote towns have been unable to support bringing in businesses that have the power to transform local economies.

And in those cases where there are workers onsite, the difficulty in remaining connected to family and friends and a lack of entertainment options has resulted in high turnover and low staff retention rates. Finally, the people living in these communities long-term suffer from the same lack of access to communications that businesses do.

How we upended the market

Up until two years ago, Vocus did not have an enterprise-grade satellite product, but it was clear that there was a clear gap in the market. We created our product offering to bridge that divide. Business Internet-Satellite enables businesses that need business-grade internet connectivity to access it in even the most remote parts of Australia. We provide an end-to-end solution, including full installation of satellite equipment onsite and ongoing support.

As a business-grade offering, Business Internet-Satellite offers the reliability, speed, and high performance that’s been missing in regional and remote Australia, allowing businesses to run a range of activities directly onsite. The rapid deployment—the average is under a month and the fastest has been 12 days—means that businesses can gain internet access without the delays typically associated with infrastructure builds.

The future of satellite

Our success with Business Internet-Satellite also builds upon our view that telcos need to provide enterprise and government markets with the optimal choice of technology, both now and in the future. Increasingly, that will mean satellite.

“Vocus is a company committed to innovating and disrupting the market to find new ways to deliver world-class fibre and network solutions. We do this under the sea, over land, and now in space,” said Andrew Wildblood, Chief Executive, Enterprise and Government at Vocus.

“Our support for businesses and governments operating in regional and remote Australia is now complemented by the growth and development we are enabling in the new space and satellite industry. In a short period of time, we have become a major player in the Australian space and satellite ecosystem, by delivering services, building gateways, and partnering with the most advanced technology start-ups.”

We have now established ourselves as a leading enabler to the satellite industry and have positioned Vocus as the ground infrastructure partner of choice in the Australian market.

Building on our success with Business Internet-Satellite, we have leveraged our extensive regional fibre network to provide ground stations for low earth orbit (LEO) satellite operators that require them.

When complete, this will comprise 19 sites in Australia and New Zealand. We’ve acquired regional transmission licences for the sole purpose of enabling connectivity between LEO constellations and our network throughout the country.