Eutelsat Group announced on Tuesday it’s extending its partnership with UAE-based VSAT service provider InterSAT Communication Services to enhance fixed data services over Central and Eastern Africa, with a possible LEO satellite component to be added later.
Under a new multi-year agreement, InterSAT will use Ku-band capacity on the Eutelsat 7C satellite, as well as existing capacity contract on the Eutelsat 70B satellite, for its satellite internet connectivity services.
Eutelsat 7C is a high-power satellite for markets in Africa positioned at 7° East. Eutelsat 70B, located at 70.5° East, offers broad wide beam coverage and four high-performance fixed beams, with a high degree of on-board connectivity.
“With their optimal orbital locations over Africa, EUTELSAT E7C and E70B provide InterSAT with wide coverage and efficiency across the Horizon,” commented InterSAT CEO Hanif Kassam in a statement. “Additionally, our state-of-the-art teleport investments leveraged in this solution provide growth capabilities for our diverse customers in the region.
Meanwhile, Eutelsat and InterSAT are also in discussions to add capacity from the Eutelsat OneWeb LEO satellite network for InterSAT’s East Africa customers, Kassam added.
“We look forward to adding OneWeb to our service portfolio whereby our customers across the African continent can benefit from low-latency and reliable connectivity,” he said.
Philippe Baudrier, Eutelsat OneWeb’s Africa connectivity VP, said the partnership “highlights the ongoing relevance of our powerful geostationary in-orbit assets to deliver a cost-effective and reliable connectivity service to the remotest areas.”
