Extending connectivity in Guyana

Historically, eco-resorts across Guyana have lacked access to broadband internet connectivity for their guests and staff. Only satellite could enable the connection of these remote locations to the rest of the world through the internet. This is their story of success.

Over 80% of Guyana’s surface is covered in thick forest where the infrastructure for terrestrial networks is impossible. The majority of the almost 800 000 inhabitants live in the main city and on the coast where they can access a connection to the internet.

Guyana is well known as a destination where nature and wildlife lovers flock to remote areas amongst the many rainforests and expansive savannah, where traditional networking solutions cannot reach or support. The resorts and lodges in these areas have long been isolated, unable to connect to the outside world.

In their mission to make Guyana a more connected country with broadband, communication networks and cloud services, i-Net Communications worked with Eutelsat to bring broadband to these eco-lodges using the only technology that could accomplish such a feat - satellite networking.

Read on to discover how satellites brought connectivity to some of the best eco-resorts in Guyana.

Guyana is home to some of the world’s most unique eco-resorts. The Karanambu Lodge hosts a trust that carries out research and training for ecologists in an environment that supports over 600 different bird species. Caiman House is known for its research on black caimans and is a winner of the Caribbean excellence award in sustainable tourism. Rewa and Surama lodges are run by indigenous communities and offer a culturally enriched experience unavailable anywhere else in the world.

However, these locations’ remote nature has previously forced them to be disconnected from the rest of the world. As these eco-resorts are located far from the city and coast of Guyana, they have little to no means of communication. Tourists to these locations would often be unable to stay in touch with their friends, family or use basic communication like WhatsApp or social media. Researchers and staff could not use technology and connectivity that would greatly assist their efforts and coordination.

Traditional networking solutions rely upon an infrastructure that cannot be implemented in remote areas. Tourism, research and industry in these locations are in dire need of connectivity, which terrestrial services cannot provide. Joining a satellite network is the only viable solution for isolated and low density areas, and this is just what these eco-resorts have chosen with i-Net Communications.

Based in Georgetown, i-Net Communications is a Guyanese internet service provider tasked to bring broadband connectivity to the eco-tourist destinations above, as well as four others scattered throughout the country. They have been operating since 1999 and design, install and actively manage satellite connections for the English-speaking region.

They just had the right solution that could offer connectivity to the most remote and harsh environments while still offering the reliability and scalability of a premium connection. i-Net found that solution with Eutelsat’s satellites.

Only satellite connectivity offers the means of communication that could reach these pristine locations, and Eutelsat’s prime 65° West location was situated to deliver. Eutelsat’s reputation for reliability and service encouraged i-Net to take on the project and begin working towards enabling connectivity to the eight separate, remote eco-lodges.

They began setting up small receiving dishes with wireless routers that covered a reach of 13km. With Eutelsat’s solution and support, the installation time for the equipment and connection was swiftly resolved. The lack of connectivity hindering these resorts for years was resolved within less than one hour for each installation.

Today, each eco-lodge and their managers value the improved communication between their facilities, travel agents, the Tourist Authority, local health care and the world as a whole as they continue to market and showcase their offer internationally.  They appreciate the speed, reliability, flexibility and, last but not least, the service’s affordability.

The most popularly utilised bandwidth packages among the destinations are the 10Mbps Platinum package with 30GB of data, the 6Mbps Diamond package and the 4Mbps Gold Package with 12GB of data. Eutelsat defined these packages to match different user-profiles and are available to the lodges in Ku-band via the EUTELSAT 65 WEST A satellite.

The 10Mbps download speed allows video and voice calls, complete interaction on Facebook, WhatsApp, Google and Instagram. It enables residents to upload their videos to YouTube, iCloud, Google Drive and share their immersive experience in real-time on these social media platforms. They can also use Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Webex, among other collaboration tools, to connect to their office while enjoying their vacation. Staff and research teams positioned at the lodges can also use the services to help them perform their roles and work cooperatively with other facilities.

George Melville, Managing Director of i-Net Communications, is delighted that his company can contribute to Guyana’s cultural and economic development: “Eutelsat’s satellite solutions have allowed us to provide world-class internet connectivity to these exceptional eco-resorts,” says Mr Melville. “It has given us and these resorts connectivity opportunities that were simply not possible with terrestrial networks.”

The collaborative relationship that Eutelsat has fostered with i-Net has continued to the present day, offering i-Net opportunities to reach out and accomplish their goal of connecting more of Guyana to the rest of the world. “Since working with Eutelsat, i-Net’s customer base has grown by 50%,” says Mr Melville. “In this period of rapid, radical innovation and digital transformation, i-Net Communication values the service from Eutelsat.”

Eutelsat has supported internet service providers worldwide, giving them the ability to reach out and access opportunities that were previously inaccessible to them. With prominent satellite positions offering the best service, signal and broadband available, Eutelsat continues to connect the most remote locations and communities to the rest of the world.

If you would like to find out more or are seeking a connectivity enabler for your own business or home, consider using Eutelsat. Only Eutelsat can offer the service, reliability and reach that comes with a global satellite provider. Contact Eutelsat today, or find out about many of our products on our website.