Regional : Asia-Pacific Remote Broadband Internet Satellite Project
The project entails the construction, launch, and operation of a shared, geostationary earth orbit, high-throughput satellite (Kacific-1), featuring Ka-band technology, which will be dedicated to low cost, high-speed, easily accessible broadband internet in Asia and the Pacific.
Project Details
-
Project Officer
Mokroussov, Sergey
Private Sector Operations Department
Request for information -
Country/Economy
Regional -
Sector
- Information and communication technology
| Project Name | Asia-Pacific Remote Broadband Internet Satellite Project | ||||||||||
| Project Number | 53115-001 | ||||||||||
| Borrower / Company | Kacific Broadband Satellites International Limited Kacific-1 Limited |
||||||||||
| Country / Economy | Regional Bangladesh Fiji Indonesia Kiribati Myanmar Nepal Niue Philippines Papua New Guinea Solomon Islands Timor-Leste Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu |
||||||||||
| Location | Bangladesh - Nation-wide; Fiji - Nation-wide; Indonesia - Nation-wide; Kiribati - Nation-wide; Myanmar - Nation-wide; Nepal - Nation-wide; Niue - Nation-wide; Papua New Guinea - Nation-wide; Philippines - Nation-wide; Solomon Islands - Nation-wide; Timor-Leste - Nation-wide; Tonga - Nation-wide; Tuvalu - Nation-wide; Vanuatu - Nation-wide | ||||||||||
| Type or Modality of Assistance |
|
||||||||||
| Strategic Agendas | Inclusive economic growth Regional integration |
||||||||||
| Drivers of Change | Partnerships Private sector development |
||||||||||
| Sector / Subsector | Information and communication technology / ICT infrastructure |
||||||||||
| Gender Equity and Mainstreaming | No gender elements | ||||||||||
| Responsible ADB Department | Private Sector Operations Department | ||||||||||
| Responsible ADB Division | Portfolio Management Division, PSOD | ||||||||||
| Responsible ADB Officer | Mokroussov, Sergey | ||||||||||
| Project Sponsor(s) | |||||||||||
| Description | The project entails the construction, launch, and operation of a shared, geostationary earth orbit, high-throughput satellite (Kacific-1), featuring Ka-band technology, which will be dedicated to low cost, high-speed, easily accessible broadband internet in Asia and the Pacific. | ||||||||||
| Objectives and Scope | The project will provide wide access to broadband internet connections in remote areas, where no or very limited internet coverage is currently available. The project will benefit the population in remote areas of Asia and the Pacific by increasing the availability and quality of broadband internet service, which will lead to greater sustainable socioeconomic growth and poverty reduction. | ||||||||||
| Status of Operation/Construction | Operating | ||||||||||
| Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy | Following ADBs Strategy 2030, the project directly contributes to improve connectivity and access to ICT in rural areas as well as in small island developing states. Access to broadband internet is a vital tool to accelerate progress towards realizing the SDGs and the resulting ADB operational priorities such as human development and social inclusion, improved education, better health access, gender equality and food security. Through the availability of broadband based technologies, the project can assist in climate adaptation and disaster resilience as well as climate-smart agricultural practices. Reducing the costs of doing business and providing social services by increasing access to ICT is one of the three strategic priorities of the ADB Pacific Approach 2016-2020. |
| Safeguard Categories | |
|---|---|
| Environment | B |
| Involuntary Resettlement | C |
| Indigenous Peoples | C |
| Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects | |
|---|---|
| Environmental Aspects | The satellite antennae for the project were installed in existing five teleports in the Philippines, Indonesia and Australia. The project is classified as category B for environment based on the ecological sensitivity of the location of one teleport site. An initial environmental examination and environmental and social audit was prepared in compliance with ADB Safeguard Policy Statement (SPS). Environmental impacts during construction were limited and site specific. The launching and operation of the satellite are handled by SpaceX and JSAT respectively. These facilities are not exclusively dependent on the Project, and therefore not considered as associated facility; desktop review was conducted as part of the audit process. The corrective action plan identified in the audit to achieve compliance with SPS was closed out by Kacific in 2019. There are no environmental, health and safety issues reported since start of the project's operations phase. |
| Involuntary Resettlement | No land acquisition nor involuntary resettlement is required for the Project as all operations, maintenance and management of facilities are done within available land. |
| Indigenous Peoples | Indigenous peoples are not known to be present nor are they using any of the facilities that comprise the project sites. No impact on indigenous peoples is envisaged. |
| Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation | Given the nature of the project and the sites for implementation, there are limited opportunities for the active participation and inclusion of communities and non-government organizations in the stakeholder consultation process. No concerns/grievances have been raised during construction and operations phases of the project. |
| Timetable for assistance design, processing and implementation | |
|---|---|
| Concept Clearance | 06 Mar 2019 |
| Credit Committee Meeting | 20 Jun 2019 |
| Approval | 24 Jul 2019 |
| Last PDS Update | 30 Sep 2022 |
Project Data Sheets (PDS) contain summary information on the project or program. Because the PDS is a work in progress, some information may not be included in its initial version but will be added as it becomes available. Information about proposed projects is tentative and indicative.
The Access to Information Policy (AIP) recognizes that transparency and accountability are essential to development effectiveness. It establishes the disclosure requirements for documents and information ADB produces or requires to be produced.
The Accountability Mechanism provides a forum where people adversely affected by ADB-assisted projects can voice and seek solutions to their problems and report alleged noncompliance of ADB's operational policies and procedures.
In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of, or reference to, a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area.
| Title | Document Type | Document Date |
|---|---|---|
| Asia-Pacific Remote Broadband Internet Satellite: Report and Recommendation of the President | Reports and Recommendations of the President | Jul 2019 |
| Asia-Pacific Remote Broadband Internet Satellite Project: Initial Poverty and Social Analysis | Initial Poverty and Social Analysis | Jul 2019 |
Safeguard Documents See also: Safeguards
Safeguard documents provided at the time of project/facility approval may also be found in the list of linked documents provided with the Report and Recommendation of the President.
| Title | Document Type | Document Date |
|---|---|---|
| Asia-Pacific Remote Broadband Internet Satellite Project: Environmental and Social Monitoring Report (January-December 2021) | Environmental and Social Monitoring Reports | Dec 2021 |
| Asia-Pacific Remote Broadband Internet Satellite Project: Environmental and Social Monitoring Report (January-December 2020) | Environmental and Social Monitoring Reports | Feb 2021 |
| Asia-Pacific Remote Broadband Internet Satellite Project: Environmental and Social Monitoring Report (30 November-30 December 2019) | Environmental and Social Monitoring Reports | Mar 2020 |
| Asia-Pacific Remote Broadband Internet Satellite Project: Initial Environmental Examination | Initial Environmental Examination | Nov 2019 |
| Asia-Pacific Remote Broadband Internet Satellite Project: Draft Initial Environmental Examination (including Environmental Compliance Audit Report) | Initial Environmental Examination | Jul 2019 |
Evaluation Documents See also: Independent Evaluation
None currently available.
Related Publications
None currently available.
The Access to Information Policy (AIP) establishes the disclosure requirements for documents and information ADB produces or requires to be produced in its operations to facilitate stakeholder participation in ADB's decision-making. For more information, refer to the Safeguard Policy Statement, Operations Manual F1, and Operations Manual L3.
Requests for information may also be directed to the InfoUnit.
Internet connectivity in the time of COVID-19
Kacific1, built with financing from ADB and its Leading Asia’s Private Infrastructure Fund, is a next generation satellite that is providing affordable internet connections to remote and far-flung communities in the Asia and Pacific region.
Broadband Internet Satellite is Key to Achieving Papua New Guinea's Vision for Effective e-Government Services
ADB, through its financing and partnership with Kacific1, supports Papua New Guinea's vision to introduce innovative approaches and modern technologies into its public sector services.
Journey to Space: ADB’s First Satellite Financing with Kacific 1
ADB invested $50 million to Kacific Broadband Satellites International Limited (Kacific) to provide affordable satellite-based, high-speed broadband internet connections to countries in Asia and the Pacific.Kacific1 Satellite Launch to Bring Affordable Internet to Remote Parts of Asia and Pacific
Kacific has launched the Kacific1 satellite to expand high-speed broadband internet access across Asia and the Pacific. ADB provided $50 million in financing to Kacific for the satellite to deliver internet that will enable...ADB's First Satellite Financing to Expand Internet Access in Asia and Pacific
ADB today signed a $50 million agreement with Kacific Broadband Satellites International Limited to provide affordable satellite-based, high-speed broadband internet connections to countries in Asia and the Pacific, especially...