Gilat Makes Inroads into Africa with SkyEdge 2 Services
[Satellite TODAY Insider 04-15-11] Gilat won a contract with Telecom Namibia to provide a SkyEdge 2 broadband satellite network to serve hundreds of locations throughout Namibia, Gilat announced April 14.
The IP-oriented network will replace legacy equipment and provide higher capacity to enable the connection of new sites to broadband services. The implementation of the 600-site network began in mid-2010. Telecom Namibia will use the network to deliver Internet and VoIP services to residential and enterprise customers. Additionally, the new network will be used to deliver the company’s Wi?Space Wi-Fi hotspot service in hotels and other tourist destinations throughout Namibia.
"Telecom Namibia’s selection of Gilat’s SkyEdge 2 demonstrates the appeal of the platform’s technical advantages, versatility and low total cost of ownership. It is gratifying to know that Telecom Namibia’s implementation of this network will improve the quality of life for consumers and businesses alike," Laban Hiwilepo, general manager of Network Provisioning and Assurance, Telecom Namibia, said in a statement.
During the last 12 months, Gilat has made inroads in the African market, which is seen as a huge potential growth EWa for satellite communications. In March, Gateway Communications, a supplier of pan-African wholesale telecommunications, chose Gilat as the company’s primary VSAT provider. This strategic cooperation is intended to enhance the provision of telecommunication services to mobile and fixed-line operators, connecting them within Africa and to the rest of the world. A Gilat SkyEdge 2 hub has been installed at Gateway’s network operations center in Belgium, deploying DAMA services across Africa. These services will include cellular backhaul applications, broadband access for telecommunications companies, backbone restoration and rural telephony.
Gilat has also signed other significant deals in Africa during the past 12 months. In June, the company won a deal with Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) to provide a SkyEdge 2 broadband satellite network. KCB is a commercial banking group in East Africa with branches and ATMs in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Southern Sudan. KCB will use the VSAT network for enterprise connectivity as well as back-up capacity for branches with existing terrestrial connectivity.
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