Just wanted to take the time to pass on my experiences provisioning a VSAT Service for MoH Vanuatu and in Tanna last year.
To start off, a big thanks to Ian Thompson @ SPC and the team at Pacific Teleports for their assistance is provisioning the service and also a big thanks to Dalsie and John @ The Vanuatu Interim Telecommunications Regulator for their assistance in licensing the service for MoH.
To give you all some perspective, we're currently ramping up for Malaria Eradication in Tanna as the first elimination province in the program that is working across Vanuatu and Solomon Islands.
From an ICT point of view, key to the success of this program is good communications between provincial health services and the capital in addition to international stakeholders and donors. With this in mind, working with the MoH and staff @ Lenakel Hospital we:
- Deployed a VSAT Service to provide an 'always-on' internet service with uncapped usage (good for controlling costs)
- Provisioned wired data cabling across the site - Always more reliable than wireless
- Installed 'Bullet' Wireless Access points and Repeaters supplied by http://www.rfshop.com.au
- Secured the Satellite uplink using a 'Untangle Box' http://www.untangle.com/ a great option for those with limited budget.
- Provided training for onsite technical and maintenance staff in the support of the service and infrastructure
- Ran "Internet and Email 101' workshops for medical and administrative staff on how to find quality information online
Overall the deployment gone quite smoothly and I've been really happy with the support we've had from the MoH, SPC, Pactel and The Vanuatu Interim Telecommunications Regulator.
So what do you do if you want to run your own VSAT service?
-Contact your telecommunications regulator and check availability of Satellite licensing
-Speak with Pactel and see what sort of service and bandwidth will suit your needs http://www.pacificteleports.com/
-Does your project qualify for Import Tax or VAT Exemption? Get it in writing to present to officials
-Post onlist to see if anyone is looking todo the same, maybe you can share a service? (but make sure your license allows for this)
Want to learn more? Have a look at http://www.pacrics.net/ or just pop me an email and I might be able to point you in the right direction.
Hope this helps,
Lukim yu,
Andrew Erbs
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| Lenakel VSAT |
