VSAT is the short forms for Very Small Aperture Terminals. They are a compact satellite dish mated with the necessary electronic hardware to create an earth station. The earth station consisted of a small antenna and other devices to interface between the antenna and the end user equipment’s. The end user equipment could be one or more personal computers, telephone, a PBX, a video receiver/ player or any combination of these. VSAT can directly receive signals from the satellite and transmitthat signals to the various end users like, telephone, radio, personal computers for email and internet. A VAST can link, a few or if necessary, hundreds of site, includingremote geographical locations.
The following discussion will evaluate a VSAT project that was set up in Maramuni LLG in Enga Province by Hon. Robert Ganim, MP Member for Wabag Open.
Background of the Project
Marumani is one of the most remote areas in Enga Province. It is approximately 20,000 kilometres away from the Wabag town. It is one of the densely populated areas that have little government infrastructural service since independence until last year, that VSAT project was set up under the leadership Hon. Robert Ganim. It has a rugged geography and numerous mountains that becomes the social barrier to reach government services to the area. Therefore, this VSAT project is not only improving the communication technology but also it is enhancing the standard of living in the area. The people of Maramuni now turned to benefit a lot from this project.
The VSAT project in Maramuni in Wabag
District, Enga Province is initiated by MP for Wabag Open, Honourable Robert
Ganim to implement rural communication services to deliver quality services in
the LLG. The project was started in the month of April andcompleted in August
last year – 2013 under the digital strategy defined in the Vision 2050. The
project aims to bridge the digital divide between the rural and urban dichotomy
and equally to harness the strategic role of ICT in the provincial level. The
project aims to provide affordable high speed internet access, telephone, and
radio access to people of Maramuni in Enga Province often disadvantaged by
geographical and social barriers for so long.
Installation of VSAT Project
Design and installation of VSAT Project in Maramuniwas done by Telikom PNG. Telecom PNG is the country’s leading VAST project provider and other services as well. Maramuni is one of them currently accessing digital services from VSAT project that was set up by Telekom PNG.
Site preparation for VSAT Installation project in Maramuni took more than four months to set up all the physical components. Due to the road conditions, materials were picked up by the helicopter at Wabag town and shifted to Maramuni station. Site survey was done by the group of expert Astronomical surveyors which it took almost a week to complete. The actual set up of typical VSAT components was done by electronic and communication engineers from India. They did set up 60 solar panels to generate power of a VSAT Unit and light for the people living close to the station. Satellite link analysis was done by the electronic engineers using some of their test equipment with the help of Inter Facility Link (IFL) cables.
Benefits of the project.
VSAT
provides a lot of technological benefits to the Maramuni LLG. Since the
establishment of the project up to this date, Maramuni people have seen a lot
of changes in their community. Below are some of the befits that they gained
through the VSAT project. Maramuni is out of network coverage because it is very far from the Wabag Town. People of Maramuni did not use any form of communication in the area for the past years. However, through this VSAT project people are very fortunate to make calls to their relatives at other centres of PNG and even across the world. The VSAT stations will interface with the satellite and it can receive configuration and then transmit signals. When phone calls are made, VSAT transmits the voice over the network through the satellite through the wave signals to the receiver and the voice is heard. “The very small aperture terminals (VSATs) are a compact satellite dish mated with the necessary electronic hardware to create an earth station. The earth station consists of a small antenna and other devices to interface between the antenna and the end-user equipment.”
There are many benefits of using VSAT Satellite Networking but in Maramuni, Radio broadcasting would be more important and it is very beneficial to the entire population. Maramuni is a big area and people are scatted to live in villages. There was a mini radio station set up within the Aid post premises which used to announce relevant news updates. The radio station is very helpful and people enjoyed very much. It was used for community announcement, important notices, public awareness, public news, current affairs, and etc. The communication through radio broadcasting is used with the wide area network. Hence, the radio can be switched to different stations like 90. 3 Yumi FM or 90. 6 Miok FM and they can up to date with current affairs. The Internet, Radio applications and other technologies are become useful and very beneficial to Maramuni in the real life situation.
VSAT provides the locals with network and people enjoy access via internet. VSAT helps them with the provision of the networks and those people who access through social media like facebook, twitter, linkedIn know what is happening across the country and globe as a whole. Those people who are from remote area can pose a question on the Facebook or an email a person to know what happens around the country. For instance; a person from NCD can update what is happening in the floor of parliament and someone from Maramuni can read the post via VSAT network. Hence, the VSAT in the remote areas make things possible for the people of PNG to know where and to which extend we are moving through the development of this young nation in the desire of reaching vision 2050 of the governments strategic plan.
Satellite communication using VSAT makes it possible to provide reliable data communication to any point on earth. Muramuni VSAT project sets up e-mail link, telephone, radio, in which those services update people with latest information every day. Currently they are able to exchange ideas through e-mail, make comments and share their ideas with internet users all over the world in a cost effective manner. Maramuni VSAT project offers free electronic communication networks which it enables all the users to excess the information without any cost. Provincial government is responsible for service fee to the internet company.
Problem associated with the project.
Since the establishment of VSAT project in Maramuni up to this date, least number of people, especially the professionals and some other semi-literate are benefiting from the services provided. Due to lack of proper information services, training, and awareness about that VSAT project, it does not reach the bulk of the population who are living there. That is because they did not set up any information training center to disseminate the information about the importance of that project. It was the greatest mistake ever made by the implementers of the project because users are lacking behind technology.
Relevance
to the Government Development Strategies (Vision 2050)
The
introduction of the VSAT project in the LLG will enable people to use the
technology into their door steps. Closing
the digital divide in Marumuni will not suffice to close the knowledge divide,
for access to useful, relevant knowledge is more than simply a matter of
infrastructure—it depends on training, cognitive skills and regulatory
frameworks geared towards access to contents.
The rural community will have the
advantage to close the digital gap unless they have above cognitive skills,
training which it will automatically close the knowledge gap. They have the
equal chances of being information literate and knowledgeable especially in
information and communication technology. They will be more digitalized and are
fortunate to connect them to the rest of the world. It will improve the quality
of lives and transformed them into a new standard of living. People in the rural areas will now be smart
and healthier in line with the Vision 2050. This project is a step towards the
government’s strategic plans and policy in developing PNG to the next level.
People of Maramuni are now become the evidence of achieving Vision 2050 when
this project was introduced by their local MP Hon. Robert Ganim as part of
delivering tangible development to the electorate.
Conclusion
To
conclude, the VSAT project in Maramuni brings significant changes to the rural
communities and people are having access to quality information that is very
essential that can improve their lives. The project has many positive impacts
in the LLG. That is a government’s commitment in extending and delivering
services to the rural areas as their obligated duty to bring tangible development
to the electorate and province as a whole. The action initiated by the local
MP, Hon. Robert Ganim is a land mark in the history of Maramuni after being
neglected by several MPs for several years. Consequently, the project will alleviate
the digital divide in the societies and people will become information literate.
In this way, the society will be transformed and the community will never be
the same. The people will be very smarter, healthier and a happier society in
line with achieving the Vision 2050. 
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