Singapore’s satellite communications leader Kacific Broadband Satellites has forged a strategic alliance with Pakistan’s national operator Paksat to deploy affordable satellite internet services targeting rural and remote regions. This initiative directly addresses Pakistan’s staggering connectivity gap, where 65% of the population lacks access to stable broadband infrastructure.
The collaboration utilizes Kacific’s high-throughput GEO satellite Kacific1, engineered to deliver enterprise-grade speeds of up to 50 Mbps across Pakistan’s most challenging terrains, including the Himalayas foothills and Thar Desert. Paksat will deploy 184 new teleports and VSAT hubs by Q3 2024, prioritizing connectivity for 12,000 schools and 900 rural healthcare facilities identified as critical infrastructure targets.
“Pakistan’s broadband penetration stagnates at 35% due to geographical barriers,” explained Paksat CEO Amer Nadeem during the joint press briefing. “Our hybrid Ka/Ku-band solution eliminates last-mile challenges – villages can now stream HD video tutorials or conduct telehealth consultations without terrestrial network dependencies.”
Key service details:
- Residential plans: 29/monthfor100GB(50Mbps),29/monthfor100GB(50Mbps),49/month for 300GB
- Agricultural bundle: IoT-enabled package with soil sensors integration at $79/month
- Government subsidy: $200 terminal installation cost waived for first 50,000 users
Field trials in Skardu demonstrated 97% uptime during peak monsoon rains, outperforming cellular networks’ 63% reliability rate. The partnership aligns with Pakistan’s Universal Service Fund mandate to achieve 80% nationwide broadband coverage by 2026.
