Sonke Telecommunications Launches Revolutionary Layer 2 Solution on OneWeb Satellite Network

Sonke Telecommunications has added a world-first layer 2 solution for its offering on the OneWeb (EutelSat) connectivity solution. Sonke’s advanced core network fabric enables fast adoption of new technologies, customised products and services.

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technology brings high-speed, low-latency connectivity to businesses, industries in remote and underserved areas. The solution sets a new global capability for latency-sensitive, business-critical connectivity requirements in rural locations. There are boundless potential use cases for this in mining, security, retail, government e-services and energy sectors.

We are excited to be the first to bring this revolutionary solution that’ll be beneficial to our customers not only in South Africa, but globally. Sonke is now positioned at the forefront of telecommunications innovation, to enable real-time commercial transactions and improve connectivity options in areas where traditional connectivity falls short.

– Kennedy Memani, Chairman, Sonke Telecommunications

According to Memani, Sonke’s LEO satellite technology offering is a game changer for industries reliant on mission-critical operations in remote areas where Fibre networks are not available. It outperforms traditional mediums like LTE, VSAT and microwave based solutions

The core engineering team at Sonke had to design, test and deploy the solution in a short period of time. This was made possible by Sonke’s core network fabric technology. What made it technically challenging is that the traffic had to be engineered and traverse between Sonke’s network, Paratus (the specialist satellite landing station provider in the region) and the OneWeb satellite constellation without negatively impacting service quality.

The solution’s dedicated bandwidth eliminates the risk of oversubscription leading to performance degradation due to shared network resources. This simply means there will likely be finite capacity available and early adopters will have a competitive advantage. In addition, Sonke’s LEO satellite solution provides 100% coverage in remote areas that traditional infrastructure like fibre, microwave, 4G and 5G cannot reach.

As industries increasingly seek-robust, scalable solutions for operations in remote environments, Sonke Telecommunications is leading the charge, offering a vital lifeline for businesses seeking next-level security and connectivity.