Providing connectivity in mining operations
Providing internet connectivity in mining operations
Philippines, 13 February 2023 - In the Philippines, where 52% of the population lives in rural areas, access to affordable, high-speed mining internet continues to be a challenge. In a small province with limited infrastructure like Dinagat Islands, connectivity can prove to be a daunting challenge, and even more so for remote mining operations.
For a country that is as rich in mineral resources as the Philippines, mining has a remarkable capability to contribute to socio-economic growth. The Philippines has been ranked as the fifth most mineralized country in the world with untapped reserves estimated at $1 trillion. Globally, Philippine mining ranks third in gold, fourth in copper, fifth in nickel, and sixth in chromite. However, the country, especially the Dinagat Islands, is also known for its challenging terrains and islets that impede any attempts at building long-term infrastructure.
Importance of connectivity in the mining industry
When it comes to developing and maintaining a mine site, the internet plays a key role in making fast and accurate decisions in the mining sector, bringing communication, with services and applications for real-time data transmission, and permanent connection availability.
Century Peak Corporation (CPC) is a nickel mining company that holds two (2) tenements in the Province of Dinagat Islands. Claire Pascual, Technical Assistant of Finance and Operations Head of CPC, sought one of Kacific’s local internet service providers, Bambunet powered by Kloche to connect their site.
“Previously, the staff would go to a nearby area, the city of San Jose, just to send an email. It was such a hassle, especially if there are urgent reports that they need to send to the head office.” Pascual mentioned.
For CPC’s operations, the employees need to coordinate with the management, clients, and fellow workers to avoid encountering bottlenecks and delays in their business cycle.
“To have a successful operation, you have to have smooth communication and coordination with the people.” Paula Gutierrez, Executive and Technical Assistant to the Vice President of Century Peak Corporation, shared.
KADs: TrueVision Enterprises and Oktatech – Technology Solutions and Services, installed a terminal with speeds of up to 80 Mbps in just 2 days.
Satellite broadband as a solution
Since these mining sites are very remote, the logical match for connectivity is by using a satellite. It is also more reliable and more affordable, especially now that the cost of a space launch lowered compared to a decade ago.
Kacific1 is a GEO satellite, which means that it can provide mining internet connectivity over a large coverage area across all 7,640 islands in the Philippines. This, in turn, makes it ideal for connecting mine sites even in the most remote areas. By reusing frequency in the high-powered spot beams, Kacific was able to be more efficient and the cost was reduced per megabit. Kacific’s Ka-band technology provides higher throughput (meaning higher download and upload speeds for everyday usage) and is more affordable than its predecessors, Ku-band and C-band.
Most importantly for the mining sector, Kacific offers quick-deploy VSAT systems as its 1.2m satellite dishes are smaller than most Ku or C band terminals making them more affordable and easier to set up. Terminals are offered for a one-time terminal fee of PHP 34,000 or PHP 52,000 depending on the model. A one-time installation fee of PHP 10,000 is charged by distributors to install the terminal in a specific area.
As long as there is a clear line of sight to the sky, there will always be a connection for multiple users. This can support countless mining operations like geo-positioning services and mine site environmental monitoring. In addition, Kacific has two local teleports located in Subic Bay and Clark as its backup sites to ensure that connectivity remains available even in inclement weather.
To respond to the connectivity needs of CPC, Bambunet powered by Kloche’s KADs: TrueVision Enterprises and Oktatech – Technology Solutions and Services, installed a terminal with speeds of up to 80 Mbps (60 Mbps in download speeds and 20 Mbps in upload speeds) in just 2 days. The VSAT setup consists of a portable modem, transceiver, small 1.2m satellite dish, and light-weight router which can be easily transported and set up on command. Thanks to Kacific1 satellite’s reach in the area, CPC can now achieve a high-speed, stable, and reliable connection.
“Bambunet is very responsive as an internet service provider. When there are issues, they send technicians to the site immediately. They even taught our IT manager how to troubleshoot. They always ask if the terminal is working properly and if we are encountering any challenges about the connection.” Pascual explained.
Since these mining sites are very remote, the logical match for connectivity is by using a satellite. It is also more reliable and more affordable, especially now that the cost of a space launch lowered compared to a decade ago.
Kacific1 is a GEO satellite, which means that it can provide mining internet connectivity over a large coverage area across all 7,640 islands in the Philippines. This, in turn, makes it ideal for connecting mine sites even in the most remote areas. By reusing frequency in the high-powered spot beams, Kacific was able to be more efficient and the cost was reduced per megabit. Kacific’s Ka-band technology provides higher throughput (meaning higher download and upload speeds for everyday usage) and is more affordable than its predecessors, Ku-band and C-band.
Most importantly for the mining sector, Kacific offers quick-deploy VSAT systems as its 1.2m satellite dishes are smaller than most Ku or C band terminals making them more affordable and easier to set up. Terminals are offered for a one-time terminal fee of PHP 34,000 or PHP 52,000 depending on the model. A one-time installation fee of PHP 10,000 is charged by distributors to install the terminal in a specific area.
As long as there is a clear line of sight to the sky, there will always be a connection for multiple users. This can support countless mining operations like geo-positioning services and mine site environmental monitoring. In addition, Kacific has two local teleports located in Subic Bay and Clark as its backup sites to ensure that connectivity remains available even in inclement weather.
To respond to the connectivity needs of CPC, Bambunet powered by Kloche’s KADs: TrueVision Enterprises and Oktatech – Technology Solutions and Services, installed a terminal with speeds of up to 80 Mbps (60 Mbps in download speeds and 20 Mbps in upload speeds) in just 2 days. The VSAT setup consists of a portable modem, transceiver, small 1.2m satellite dish, and light-weight router which can be easily transported and set up on command. Thanks to Kacific1 satellite’s reach in the area, CPC can now achieve a high-speed, stable, and reliable connection.
“Bambunet is very responsive as an internet service provider. When there are issues, they send technicians to the site immediately. They even taught our IT manager how to troubleshoot. They always ask if the terminal is working properly and if we are encountering any challenges about the connection.” Pascual explained.
Since these mining sites are very remote, the logical match for connectivity is by using a satellite.
Today, they can make voice or video calls to their satellite and head office, send data, communicate with suppliers and contractors, reduce waiting times, streamline decisions based on real-time data, and dispatch reports without delays.
“I am very thankful for Bambunet powered by Kloche because I can relay immediate instructions, receive documents, and send files to the people I need to attend to. Aside from that, I can also relay immediate purchases or instructions that come from our management.” Gutierrez concluded.
Do you have business in remote areas and you need internet? Contact Bambunet powered by Kloche Communications at www.bambunet.com or call (0998) 555 3243.
Kacific is a next-generation satellite broadband operator providing coverage throughout the Asia Pacific region. We are committed to bringing universal connectivity to the mining industry using compact and cost-effective VSAT terminals.
https://kacific.com/blog/news/providing-connectivity-in-mining-operations
“I am very thankful for Bambunet powered by Kloche because I can relay immediate instructions, receive documents, and send files to the people I need to attend to. Aside from that, I can also relay immediate purchases or instructions that come from our management.” Gutierrez concluded.
Do you have business in remote areas and you need internet? Contact Bambunet powered by Kloche Communications at www.bambunet.com or call (0998) 555 3243.
Kacific is a next-generation satellite broadband operator providing coverage throughout the Asia Pacific region. We are committed to bringing universal connectivity to the mining industry using compact and cost-effective VSAT terminals.
https://kacific.com/blog/news/providing-connectivity-in-mining-operations