Launch of Orange's Nuanua satellite initiative in Wallis and Futuna Islands
The French telecommunications operator, Orange, and the global satellite operator, SES, are partnering on a groundbreaking initiative called the Nuanua project. This project aims to revolutionize internet connectivity in the remote Wallis and Futuna Islands, a French overseas collectivity in the South Pacific.
Project Partners and Technology
Orange, a major player in the French telecom sector, will be responsible for deploying and managing the communication networks, while SES, a global satellite operator, will provide its next-generation Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite system, O3b mPOWER. This advanced technology is designed to deliver high-throughput, low-latency broadband connectivity, particularly to remote and underserved regions like the Wallis and Futuna Islands.
Context and Location
The Wallis and Futuna Islands, consisting of three main islands, are geographically isolated and have limited infrastructure. This isolation has historically posed challenges in terms of telecommunications connectivity.
Objectives and Benefits
The Nuanua project aims to provide enhanced broadband connectivity across the islands, overcoming the limitations of traditional terrestrial networks and older satellite systems. The project also seeks to improve latency and capacity, making services such as video conferencing, remote education, telemedicine, and business applications more efficient.
The initiative supports broader socio-economic development by enabling residents, businesses, and public services to access modern digital technologies and online resources. The project also ensures resilience and redundancy, adding a resilient communication layer to complement existing networks, ensuring continuous service even in the event of natural disasters or terrestrial infrastructure failures.
Implementation
The project involves the deployment of ground equipment and terminals on the islands to connect to the O3b mPOWER satellites. Orange manages the network and customer interface, while SES handles the satellite operations.
Timeline and Sustainability
The project build-out is expected to last six months, with the Nuanua project scheduled to be operational by the end of the first half of 2025. Solar panels will be installed over an area of 170 m2 to optimize the power supply for the installations, contributing to the project's eco-friendly approach.
Significance
The Nuanua project, meaning "rainbow" in Wallisian, is an initiative by Orange to replace the existing satellite infrastructure of the Wallis and Futuna Islands with SES's second-generation MEO O3b mPOWER system. This upgrade will modernize Wallis and Futuna's existing satellite network, providing the territory with a reliable, sustainable, and high-performance connectivity solution, capable of delivering higher speeds than existing infrastructure.
The project is co-financed by the European Union under the "Connecting Europe Facilities - Digital" programme, demonstrating the commitment to connecting remote territories and enhancing essential digital services, which encourages economic and social development. Jean-Louis Le Roux, the president of Orange Wallis and Futuna, states that the Nuanua project showcases the expertise of Orange teams in the satellite domain and their ability to provide secure and resilient connectivity solutions.
The Nuanua project is crucial for strengthening the digital sovereignty of Wallis and Futuna, as Orange Wallis & Futuna, a subsidiary of Orange, will deploy and operate the project. The project will assist in accelerating digital inclusion in the Pacific region, ensuring nearly 12,000 residents of the archipelago have uninterrupted access to the internet via a diverse and resilient connectivity solution.
The Nuanua project, a collaborative effort between Orange and SES, leverages advanced technology such as the MEO satellite system O3b mPOWER to deliver high-throughput, low-latency broadband connectivity, particularly to remote regions like the Wallis and Futuna Islands.
This upgrade of the Wallis and Futuna Islands' satellite network, using SES's second-generation MEO O3b mPOWER system, will provide the territory with a modern, sustainable, and high-performance connectivity solution, capable of delivering higher speeds than existing infrastructure.