[Satellite TODAY Insider 02-10-11] O3b Networks has entered into a framework agreement with Middle East telco Etisalat to enable its operating companies to benefit from O3b services under a separate bilateral agreement, O3b CCO John Finney told Satellite TODAY Insider.
    The five-year deal with Eitisalat will see O3b provide mobile backhaul, trunking and next generation services to Etisalat’s operating companies. The deal establishes O3b as a qualified global supplier that can meet the future growth demands of any of Etisalat’s partners. According to Finney, the partnership with Etisalat, with more than 100 million customers across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, represents a major step forward for the operator.
    “The deal signifies our capability to solve complex network problems for leading global operators such as Etisalat. We have worked closely with Etisalat since we publicly announced O3b to the market in 2008 and over the last two years have established a detailed technical, operational and commercial understanding of how to tailor our services to meet the future demands of Etisalat,” Finney said. “Strategically. Etisalat has a major influence on mobile industry trends, so partnering with Etisalat so early in our short history enables O3b to identify new services geared towards meeting Etisalat’s increasing capacity needs and in support of a wide bouquet of fixed and mobile telephony services.”
    Finney added that other deals could be in the pipeline as a number of international telcos are in advanced discussions with O3b. “From our discussions with the major telcos we have identified significant pent up demand for high bandwidth backhaul and trunking services meeting a range of service needs,” said Finney. “Clearly, the mobile sector is the most prominent of all and most notably through a sharp increase in plans to deploy 3G or high speed data service further into rural communities,” he said.
    The company, which raised over $1.2 billion in funding late last year to finance fully the construction and launch of its next generation global satellite constellation, is set for a busy 2011. “Demand for O3b has intensified greatly over the last 12 months. Scaling our operations to meet this global customer demand and continuing to evolve our service offering in conjunction with O3b’s industry partners and customers remains our primary focus for 2011,” Finney said.

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