Luxembourg–based Intelsat has announced that it has partnered with AfricaOnline, a wholly owned subsidiary of Gondwana International Networks, to provide a managed broadband service for sub-Saharan Africa. Under the agreement, Intelsat will provide services via its Intelsat 28 satellite, which is located at 33 Degrees East, and Gondwana will provide ground support and network management services from AfricaOnline’s facilities at Hartebeesthoek, South Africa. Together, the two companies will deliver high-quality, Ku-band broadband service on a virtual network operator (VNO) basis.
Mathew Welthagen, CEO of Gondwana International Networks, commented: ‘We want to be the preferred provider of VSAT services across Africa, and this initiative with Intelsat allows us to enhance our portfolio of service offerings. The upfront capital commitment and ongoing fixed operating cost structure of Ku-band VSAT has constrained expansion of services in Africa. A managed VNO platform allows for increased economies of scale, both in terms of CAPEX and OPEX, and is a giant step forward in bringing cost-effective connectivity to Africa.’