Avanti’s Hylas 2 Now Fully Operational
By Rebecca Lincks | October 10, 2012
[Satellite TODAY 10-10-12] Avanti Communications Group’s Ka-band satellite Hylas 2 is now completely operational and will begin providing data and video service coverage to customers in Northern and Southern Africa, the Caucasus, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, Avanti announced Oct. 10.
“Hylas 2 carries 24 active Ka-band user beams and six gateway beams providing two-way communications services to facilitate high-speed delivery of data to end-user applications such as corporate networking, IP Trunking, cellular backhaul, broadband Internet access, business continuity services and video distribution,” Avanti said in a statement.
Avanti CEO David Williams said the new generation of Ka-band satellites, such as the Hylas 2, is designed to provide telecommunications services that will deliver full broadband connectivity essential to connecting the digital divide in African economies. Hylas 2, along with the Hylas 3 due 2015, aim to increase international capacity by 25 percent by bringing an additional 100 Gigabits of capacity to Africa.
“Satellite broadband is a proven enabler for business growth. Governments and NGOs will be able to deliver public services such as education and healthcare to wider populations at lower cost, and industry and commerce located away from fixed line infrastructure, such as agriculture and mining, will also benefit,” Williams said in a statement.