Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 5 November 2016:– Yahsat and Eutelsat Communications have signed a multi-year capacity agreement giving Broadband for Africa, Eutelsat’s African broadband venture, access to high-performance commercial Ka-band capacity for broadband services across Sub-Saharan Africa. The move represents a significant milestone for Yahsat as the company actively seeks to further industry collaboration to expand satellite connectivity region-wide.
Masood M. Sharif Mahmood, Chief Executive Officer of Yahsat said, “This agreement is important to our overall vision of providing global satellite connectivity solutions for unserved and underserved communities. At Yahsat we firmly believe that by partnering with our industry peers, the satellite community will be able to jointly help connect markets that face infrastructure and connectivity challenges. Our collaboration with Broadband for Africa is a great example of how partnerships can work for the greater good of regional socio-economic development.”
According to the terms of the agreement, Broadband for Africa will use capacity on up to 16 Ka-band spotbeams on the Yahsat 1B satellite to roll out broadband services during the first half of 2017. Further expansion will be supported later in the year using capacity on 18 spotbeams on Yahsat’s Al Yah 3 satellite, scheduled for launch in early 2017. Both Yahsat 1B and Al Yah 3 are equipped with high powered spotbeams with Sub-Saharan African coverage, ideal for community and Direct-to-User Internet access using affordable, off-the-shelf customer premises equipment.
Laurent Grimaldi, Chief Executive Officer of Broadband for Africa, said: “We are delighted to initiate this relationship with Yahsat and fully share their conviction in the long-term role satellites will play in wireless connectivity and in the need for high-quality infrastructure to transform Africa’s broadband landscape.”
In addition to Yahsat’s collaboration with Eutelsat to drive connectivity across Africa, the company also provides cost-effective satellite broadband services via its YahClick satellite broadband internet service .Currently the number one satellite broadband service in Africa, subscribers including government, businesses and individuals are able to gain access to uninterrupted, high-speed internet across the continent.