Global satellite operator SES S.A. announced today that it has signed an agreement with YellowSat, a French start-up company that provides Internet connectivity to enterprises, governments and institutions in Africa.
YellowSat is a new SES customer and the first to use inclined orbit capacity on NSS-703 at the spacecraft’s new orbital location of 47 degrees West. YellowSat assists customers by supplying satellite capacity and the necessary reception equipment to provide internet connectivity, telephony and video-surveillance to homes and businesses in remote locations. Inclined orbit capacity is capacity on a geosynchronous satellite that is no longer controlled in the north - south axis in order to prolong its commercially usable life. To use capacity on satellites in inclined orbit, one needs an antenna on the ground that follows the satellite's movement. Thanks to a dedicated tracking device developed by YellowSat its customers can use this inclined capacity without having to purchase an auto-tracked antenna thereby providing a substantial investment savings to customers.
This unique solution allows YellowSat to keep the costs of its satellite-based Internet solutions relatively low. As connectivity in large parts of Africa is challenging, this is an ideal solution for businesses – especially in regions with no or limited terrestrial infrastructure.
“SES is constantly exploring how we can customise our capacity to our customers. By providing inclined capacity over Africa, we are catering to our customer’s demand for cost effective solutions,” said Simon Gatty Saunt, Vice President Sales, Europe & Central Asia at SES. “We are pleased to have YellowSat onboard, as it reinforces our commitment to providing Internet connectivity for end-users on the African continent, as well as kick starts our services at 47 degrees West.”
Pierre Grenier, CEO, YellowSat, said: ‘’We aim to provide price effective solutions to our customers, and by leasing inclined capacity on NSS-703 we are able to retain cost-effectiveness. We have already signed a first customer in Congo-Brazzaville and look forward to help bridging the digital gap by offering our turnkey solution in other regions as well.”
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