Kordia, the digital services company, has announced a partnership with Netlinkz, a global distributor for Starlink, aimed at bringing business grade, high speed, low latency satellite communication services to its customers.
The agreement enables customers to acquire Starlink terminals, installation services, first-level support, reporting, and billing services. Furthermore, customers will have the ability to access Netlinkz Starlink services and support through the Kordia network.
Announced on the 26th October 2023, the partnership will provide an added element to Kordia's existing managed WAN services, improving rural coverage and enhancing communication options for remote sites.
"We're excited to be able to offer Netlinkz Starlink Business to our customers, especially those with operations in the more remote parts of New Zealand, and those that require mobile data options," says Murray Goodman, Head of Product at Kordia.
Goodman also shed light on how valuable the additional access options could be in unforeseen circumstances, citing the past year's extreme weather conditions as a testament to its potential.
"The inclusion of Starlink in their network, alongside UFB, Digital Microwave Radio and cellular data, will grant Kordia's customers unsurpassed coverage for business grade access, failover and diversity," he says.
James Tsiolis, CEO at Netlinkz, voiced his pleasure at the new alliance. "We're excited to be able to make Starlink more available to New Zealand businesses by partnering with Kordia. We've been impressed with Kordia's dedication to providing resilient communications to their customers, and it's great to be able to offer the benefits of Netlinkz Starlink to Kordia's network," he says.
In addition to providing comprehensive solutions to businesses, the agreement will also supply priority support and in-country spares for rapid restoration in the event of disruptions. Kordia will offer fixed, mobile and maritime plans as part of this agreement, with professional installation options included as part of the service.
Reflecting on the implications of improved connectivity for rural clients, Goodman foresees an eruption of innovation, particularly within the agriculture and primary industries. Kordia's Netlinkz Starlink service will enable primary access in regions without UFB where mobile coverage is poor, offering high-speed diversity and failover options. He stated that this technological progress opens up new possibilities for industries previously inhibited by bandwidth restrictions.
Furthermore, Goodman suggested this partnership is not just limited to land application. He revealed ongoing discussions for customers with maritime operations, exploring connections for ships and ferries. He highlighted the flexibility for short-term use in emergency situations or events, as well as failover options for critical sites when other services are down.
Goodman says the advantage of Kordia's Netlinkz Starlink Business service is the superior antenna technology which sees more satellites, the prioritised data and the management support offered by Kordia and Netlinkz, distinguishing this from the residential service web-based support model.