Loral Skynet President Patrick Brant is moving quickly to implement his plan to transform the Bedminster, N.J.-based satellite operator into a provider of connectivity through the use of hybrid services that include satellite technology. The company signed an agreement with Microm de Colombia Ltda to provide Loral’s SkyReach(SM) IP access networking solution to Microm’s broad customer base, which includes government organizations, enterprises and Internet cafes in Colombia and Latin America. The move is a sign that Loral Skynet is finding niche growth opportunities despite the sale of all of tis North American satellites to Intelsat for roughly $1 billion earlier this year.

Microm will offer its customers SkyReach IP services under its “2-Way” brand, which will feature SkyReach’s two-way Internet connectivity at speeds of 2 Mbps on the forward link and 512 Kbps on the return link. Microm’s end users can select from a choice of on-site equipment and various bandwidth options to meet specific networking needs, such as satellite interactive terminals supporting different data rates and networking features.

“Microm de Colombia is an important part of the Colombian and Latin American telecommunication markets, and with SkyReach, Microm will be able to provide its customers with extremely high access speeds while delivering a superior quality service,” said Brant. “Whether an organization’s sites are in well-served or remote areas, SkyReach will bring robust two-way communications services over satellite.”

“Loral Skynet’s reputation, 40 years of experience and ability to deliver communications services in Colombia and the entire Latin American region were major factors in our decision to select the SkyReach platform for delivering broadband Internet connectivity,” said Alberto Ochoa Marulanda, chief executive officer and general manager of Microm de Colombia. “Microm’s 2-Way IP service will provide high speed access to the Internet for organizations in Colombia and throughout Latin America – regardless of location.”

SkyReach, which operates in Latin America using Loral’s Telstar 12 satellite, offers services that complement existing frame relay and multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) networks and enable efficient network management. SkyReach is optimized to provide a common IP platform on which to converge data, voice and video requirements. New SkyReach features, to be introduced later this year, will add improved routing capabilities for attached local area networks, higher data rates and enhanced quality of service management features.

Through the Telstar satellite fleet, in combination with its hybrid VSAT/fiber global network infrastructure, Skynet is a source for broadcast, data network, Internet access, IP and systems integration needs.

(John McCarthy, Loral, 212/338-5345)