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PEACESAT Summary

PEACESAT seeks to lessen the problems of the digital divide in the Pacific Islands region by undertaking these five program activities:

• Conduct ongoing policy, planning, and technology systems research in development and civic service information and communications technology in the Pacific Islands region.

• Assist organizations in assessing needs for information and communications technology; identify the full range of policy, technical, and management alternatives; and plan, design and implement ICT projects.

• Coordinate, develop, and deliver "content" and programs.

• Manage several telecommunication networks and cross-connections with other networks to promote the sharing of information and resources among educational institutions, health care providers, and other civic organizations.

• Provide education and training focused on developing ICT capacity within the region.
  

Policy, Planning, Technology Systems Research

The high cost of telecommunications in the Pacific Islands region remains a barrier to the use of ICT by civic service organizations. The cost is in part a function of the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean and small market size that characterize the region, the absence of a policy and governance infrastructure, a scarcity of technical and policy resources, and others. PEACESAT conducts ongoing research in policy, planning, and technology issues within the region, working with policymakers and program personnel.

Program Development and Coordination

PEACESAT assists organizations in sharing cultural exchanges, education, and accessing health care resources.

Assisting Organizations with ICT

PEACESAT assists organizations with ICT policy, planning, technology systems, and management issues. The assistance takes the form of direct policy suggestions, the development of ICT plans, the analysis of alternative technologies, and the analysis of ICT management support structures.

Network Services and Cross Connections with Other Networks

PEACESAT manages a telecommunications network that provides Internet access, video teleconferencing and multipoint bridging, and voice communication services. PEACESAT largely relies on the use of satellite communications given the large expanse of the Pacific Islands region.

Beginning with the use of the U.S. NASA ATS-1 satellite in 1971, PEACESAT has provided experimental narrowband satellite communications to interconnect educational institutions, health care organizations, governments, and other non-profit organizations.

Over the years, PEACESAT used a series of satellites (ATS-1, ATS-3, GOES-3, GOES-2, GOES-7) provided by the NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for development and public service telecommunications.

Today, in addition to using the GOES-7 satellite, PEACESAT also helps to interconnect Pacific sites to others through:

• Intelsat links provided through a partnership with the American Samoa Telecommunications Authority that has contributed capacity for health care and education;

• Fiber optics connections to Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; Integrated Services Digital Networking (ISDN); and,

• Robust connections provided by the University of Hawaii such as an OC-3 connection to the Asia-Pacific Applications Network (APAN).
  

ICT Capacity Building - Education and Training

PEACESAT is committed to building local ICT capacity. The building of local capacity is essential if organizations and countries are to make progress in the productive and sustainable use of ICT. It is important to avoid deploying technology without sufficient research and training support. PEACESAT works in collaboration with Pacific Island organizations and institutions to maximize sharing and local-support of equipment and resources.