[Satellite TODAY 09-20-11] Gilat has signed an agreement with an unnamed Latin American government agency to deliver more than 1,800 SkyEdge 2 VSATs to facilitate broadband Internet connectivity in schools, the company announced Sept. 19.

   Gilat said the agreement is part of a nationwide, government sponsored initiative to connect thousands of schools across the country over the next three years. The network is expected to be used predominantly to support school connectivity across the country’s main urban regions and may be extended as part of the nationwide program.

   “Latin America represents one of Gilat’s key markets and we are proud to have our technology deployed where broadband connectivity is going to make a noticeable and important contribution to children’s lives,” Gilat Regional Vice President of Latin America Russell Ribeiro said in a statement.

   Gilat’s SkyEdge 2 is a multi-service platform that aims to deliver high-quality voice, broadband data and video services for enterprises, rural networks, cellular backhaul and government network applications. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.