Bridging the Digital Gap for the Mining Sector

The mining industry in the Philippines is taking a new turn since it is seen as an essential part of revitalizing the country’s economy following the recent pandemic.

The Philippines is a mineral resource hotspot, especially for nickel. The country’s undeveloped resources are worth an estimated $1 trillion, making it the sixth most mineralized worldwide. Nickel, worth about US$19,500 per tonne, is an essential metal in the Green Energy revolution since it is utilized in stainless steel and the lithium-ion battery cells of most electric vehicles.

The Role of Connectivity in the Mining Industry

The internet plays a crucial role in efficiently operating a mining site, contributing to timely decisions, clear communication lines, and personnel protection. Building terrestrial networks like cell towers and fiber connections is complex and costly because of the rough terrain in most mining zones. Broadband Internet provided by satellite is the clear choice in distant places where many mining operations are located due to its vast coverage and easy installation.

According to Claire Pascual, Technical Assistant to the Head of Finance and Operations at Century Peak Corporation (CPC), a dependable and fast internet connection can be a key to success. As a nickel mining company located in the far-flung Dinagat Islands, CPC relies on its employees to work in unison and in real-time with management, clients, and coworkers to get the job done. However, getting to the city of San Jose for the sole purpose of sending an email used to necessitate travel of several hours. According to Pascual, “It was such a hassle, especially if there were urgent reports needed to be sent to the head office,” Pascual said.

The Kacific and Ka-Band Technology: Solutions designed for Mining Industry

CPC contacted Bambunet powered by Pipol Broadband, a local Internet Service Provider (ISP) of Kacific, to inquire about their high-speed internet solutions. Bambunet’s authorized distributors, TrueVision Enterprises, and Oktatech – Technology Solutions and Services installed a light, quick-to-deploy 1.2m satellite dish capable to achieve speeds of up to 85 Mbps in just two days.

Kacific1 is a geostationary satellite of the next generation so that it can cover the entire 7,640-island Philippines with reliable internet service. This makes it an excellent option for linking mines in extremely isolated areas. Kacific1 is a High Throughput Satellite (HTS) because it reuses the same spectrum (frequencies) multiple times in the 56 spot beams. Kacific was able to be more efficient and the cost was reduced per megabit by reusing frequency in the high-powered spot beams. This allows much faster speeds for a lower cost than older satellite technologies such as Ku-band or C-band.

Bambunet powered by Pipol Broadband offers unlimited plans starting at ₱5,940 in the Philippines. Terminals are offered for a one-time terminal fee of ₱34,000 or ₱52,000 depending on the size of the plan purchased. A one-time installation fee of ₱10,000 is charged by distributors to install the terminal in a specific area.

With Kacific1 coverage for the entire Philippines and its many islands, and local support and understanding of customer needs from Kacific’s local Internet Service Providers, remote mining facilities like CPC now have access to a reliable connection. “Bambunet is very responsive as an ISP. When issues arise, they send technicians to the site immediately. They even showed our IT manager how to troubleshoot.” Pascual shared.

It is possible for an entire community to stay connected as long as there is a clear view of the sky. Many mining activities, such as geo-positioning services and mine site environmental monitoring, can benefit from this. Kacific also has two local teleports in Subic Bay and Clark that can be used as backup sites in the event of severe weather and subsequent disruption to primary sites.

Over the next four years, the Philippines could see as many as 190 new mining projects, increasing annual export revenue by as much as $2 billion. Reliable connectivity will be a vital part of expanding the operations of both new and existing sites.

Do you have business in remote areas requiring affordable, reliable high-speed internet? Contact Bambunet powered by Pipol Broadband at http://www.bambunet.com or call 0998-555-3243.

For more information on Kacific’s satellite technology, visit or contact sales@kacific.com.

Apply to be a Kacific Authorized Distributor today, visit https://kacific.com/distributor-network  to know more.