Volcano goes on the air: RSCC services in demand with Kamchatka’s growing tourism industry
Delegation of the satellite operator Russian Satellite Communications Company visited the Kamchatka Territory. During the visit, meetings were held with the region’s administration and telecom operators to discuss prospects for satellite communications in eliminating the digital divide in the region.
RSCC’s delegates also visited ground-based communication infrastructure facilities and sites where satellite communications are actively used.
During negotiations with the administration of the Kamchatka Territory, it was decided to expand satellite communication services to Kamchatka’s consumers, including the tourism industry, which is one of the main drivers of the region's economy.
“More than 90% of the territory of the region is available for satellite communications only. This includes remote areas and sites where geological and mining operations take place. But even places where fibre lines are already available need reservation which can be provided with RSCC’s Express-AMU7 and Express-AM5 satellites. In the future, we plan to significantly expand the scope of services provided,” said Alexey Volin, General Director of RSCC.
Currently, about half of socially significant facilities of the region get access to the Internet through RSCC’s vehicles. Express-AMU7 is used to broadcast 20 TV channels of the first and second multiplexes and a TV signal for terrestrial distribution by 34 TV and radio transmitting centres of the Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network. As a result, free digital terrestrial television is available for more than 96% of the region’s inhabitants, which is 300 thousand people out of 312 thousand inhabitants of Kamchatka, including 60 small settlements.
In terms of high-bandwidth satellite traffic consumption, Kamchatka ranks first in the Far Eastern Federal District. In addition, the company's services are used by 430 ships, 30 of them are registered in Kamchatka and 60 more ships operate in its territorial waters. Since about 100 new fishing and crab-potting vessels are to replenish the Far East fishing fleet, RSCC plans to provide a significant part of them with maritime VSAT services, said Alexey Vdovin, Head of the RSCC Business Development Service.
RSCC’s promising precise point positioning project has also been of great interest to the Ministry of the Kamchatka Territory. Deputy General Director of RSCC Evgeny Buidinov has revealed the advantages of satellite communications in the agro-industrial sector, transport and logistics.