CMC Networks, a global Tier 1 service provider, has added low earth orbit (LEO), medium earth orbit (MEO), and geostationary orbit (GEO) satellite connectivity to its portfolio of solutions. This multi-orbital approach addresses the diverse connectivity needs of remote and challenging environments across Africa and the Middle East, removing the limitations of digital transformation.
On March 15, Africa experienced another connectivity incident with widespread internet outages that affected West and Central Africa due to disruptions to submarine cable systems. Four of the nine undersea cables linking South Africa to the rest of the world have been reported to have been damaged in accidents on both sides of the continent.
During this time, South Africa’s internet infrastructure also experienced significant problems. The incident highlighted the vulnerability of undersea cables, a critical infrastructure for intercontinental internet connectivity. Because the CMC network uses multiple undersea cable systems, it can divert traffic and use the best routes to avoid outages.
CMC Networks’ satellite solutions leverage a constellation of multiple providers to enable pervasive and resilient networking. The distributed nature of the constellation adds redundancy and minimizes customer network downtime, improving business continuity, improving user experience, and reducing dependence on submarine cable infrastructure. will be done.
“CMC Networks’ goal is to accelerate digital transformation across Africa and the Middle East, regardless of location. With the addition of LEO, MEO, and GEO satellite solutions, we can seamlessly connect networks across regions and during power outages. ,” said Marisa Trisolino, CEO of CMC Networks. “The recent damage to undersea cables and the resulting disruption to businesses across South Africa has highlighted the need for a digital infrastructure with a variety of connectivity options and resilience to ensure business continuity in the face of unforeseen events. “Our satellite solutions enable service providers and enterprises to manage risk and maximize uptime.”
CMC Networks’ LEO satellites are located just over 1,000 km above the Earth’s surface and are extremely useful for primary or backup connectivity solutions and consumer Internet use cases such as high-frequency trading and high-performance computing applications. Provides low-latency connectivity. +-80ms round trip delay (RTD). MEO satellites sit at an altitude of 8,000 km and have low-latency connectivity of 150 milliseconds and a wider view of the Earth. This provides fiber-like broadband performance for enterprise-grade networking. GEO satellites orbit at a fixed position at a distance of 36,000 km from the Earth. These satellites provide reliable connectivity for latency-sensitive applications and services, such as broadcast television and low-speed data communications.
“Recent outages have shown that service providers and enterprises need a variety of connectivity options. Networking is mission-critical, and networking strategies should include multiple backup connections that can be provided in a simple, seamless model. ” said Geoff Dornan, CTO of CMC Networks. “Our network supports a wide range of LEO, MEO and GEO use cases across Africa and the Middle East, and is a real value-add for customers looking to add redundancy to their networks. We cannot predict what will happen, but we can be proactive and prepare to adapt.”
