O3b, Presta Bist demonstrate ‘Fiber from the Sky’ technology

Satellite provider O3b has partnered with Chadian ISP Presta Bist to demonstrate its ‘Fiber from the Sky’ platform, delivering ‘crystal clear voice, live high definition (HD) video and high speed downloads’. The demonstration tested link speed, video streaming, file downloads, interactive maps, file upload and web page loading, with O3b claiming the results were roughly five times the speed and clarity of a traditional geostationary satellite service, or comparable to a fibre connection. O3b notes that its satellites orbit much closer to earth than conventional geostationary satellites, allowing it to reduce latency and improve access speeds and service quality. Commenting on the demonstration, Presta Bist’s CEO Moussa Radjab said that the ISP was the first to introduce the ‘revolutionary’ technology in the region, saying that it was a ‘huge milestone for connectivity in the Sahel’.