Pacific RICS

A Public good site should conform to at least one of the following requirements, noting the overall principles of PACRICS that it must be in a rural or remote location and should not compete with an existing Internet service.

•    Provide an Internet connection for a school, medical centre or other public service office
•    Provide access to a Community Information Centre or Telecenter, run by a Not for Profit or community based organisation.
•    If operated by a commercial service provider (e.g. an existing Telecommunication Service provider) the rates charged for use of the Internet must be demonstrated to be significantly less than similar commercial services
•    Provide Internet connection for an OLPC project.

How to proceed to apply for a Public Good Site?

1. Make sure that your site will conform at least one of the previous requirements
2. Secure the payment for the VSAT equipment : satellite dish & modem  (see Pactel Price list). Solar unit are optionnal . Shipment costs will be added.
3. Submit your  request to the SPC/RICS Coordinator by filling the following form: SPC PG Request Form  (add any relevant information describing the outline of your project and the need of your community)
4. As soon as you get SPC agreement, fill in Pactel RICS Order Form and send a signed copy to Pactel which will provide you a shipping quote.
5. Payment and  the shipment will be then arranged directly with Pactel.

New sites have the one time activation fees (USD 525) and the monthly service fees for the bandwidth (Downlink 128k / Uplink 64k unlimited) covered by SPC during 12 months after that they must become commercial.

From January 2010,  the number of sites (former Pilot and Public good) subsidised by  SPC can't exceed 40. Therefore those that benefited from the free bandwidth during at least one year or that are able to sustain themselves will be turned into commercial sites by March 2010 and  the monthly fees will be at the charge of the customer.