SatcoDX - TELE-satellite International Magazine

will be commissioned and operated by Alldean
Satellite Networks, a Kenyan satellite service
provider offering both domestic and cross-border
connectivity to virtually anywhere in Africa.
NIGERIA
EMPERION WEST AFRICA INTRODUCES
VIDEO CONFERENCING
In its effort to help corporate institutions, multinationals
and small enterprises as well as individuals
reduce the rate of travelling, thereby saving cost
and time, Emperion West Africa, one of Nigeria
VSAT providers has pioneered the introduction of
Videoconferencing on demand. Managing director,
Sandeep Jayaswal, said that kiosks would be
erected throughout the country where anyone could
walk in at a pre-planned period and put through a
videoconference call. Emperion designs, deploys,
operates and maintains broadband IP communication
solutions and services based on digital satellite
(VSAT) and fixed wireless access (FWA) networks.
GALAXY BACKBONE PROMISES
LOWER INTERNET COSTS
Telecommunication service provider Galaxy
Backbone has vowed to reduce internet costs by
deploying latest technology in the country and
deploy ICT infrastructure in all 774 local government
areas. According to director general, Gerald Ilukwe,
the main goal of Galaxy Backbone was to build
and operate a single nationwide IT infrastructure
platform, to provide network services to all Federal
Government ministries, departments and agencies
(MDAs), and equally provide connectivity and
digital access that would enable relevant solutions
for governance, education to rural areas and other
underserved communities in Nigeria. He added that
the network operation centre located at Ahmadu
Bello way in Abuja, is “largest and most sophisticated
VSAT network in West Africa, if not in Africa”.
NIGERIAN BANK ACQUIRES
PRIVATE TELECOM OPERATOR
According to the “Business Day” newspaper,
an unnamed bank is believed to have acquired
private operator Prest Cable and Satellite TV
Systems (Prestel). Prestel currently operates
a CDMA2000 1x network covering eleven of
the country’s 36 states of the federation. It also
has a licence for commercial VSAT installation
to provide broadband services and data communication
for government sectors, private
organisations, banking and financial institutions.
Business Day states that Prestel strengthened
its position in the Nigerian telecommunications
market when it obtained a unified access service
(UAS) licence for NGN260 million in July 2006.
NIGERIA TO DEPLOY 1.500 VSAT TERMINALS
Within a three-year period, Nigeria has received
the sum $1.2 million (about N150 million) from the
Universal Postal Union as grant to improve postal
services in the country. The Nigeria Postal Service
(NIPOST) is set to deploy 1,500 very small aperture
terminals, VSAT in the post offices across the 36
states of the federation. Nigeria is collaborating
with France to finance building and deployment of
VSAT across the 36 states of the federation and
this should be completed in 15 months. This will
make possible the introduction of many services,
including cyber cafe services in rural areas.
SOUTH AFRICA
INTERNET SOLUTIONS SELECTS
ND SATCOM SKYWAN
ND SatCom’s technology platform SkyWAN
has been selected by Internet Solutions (IS), a
leading South-African converged communications
service provider, to set up a VSAT network
for the Pan-African trade association COMESA.
COMESA will connect its offices throughout
the continent to its headquarters in Lusaka,
Zambia, for office applications such as internet
access, file transfer, phone, fax and email.
W O R L D
SPACENET INTRODUCES
INSTANT VSAT SOLUTION
Spacenet has introduced a new ION instant VSAT
communications solution that enables rapid deployment
of complete converged communications
through satellite for emergency response teams and
remote industrial operations such as oil rigs, mines
and construction sites. Available immediately with
Spacenet’s commercial grade Connexstar service,
the new self-contained and field kit offers a turn-key
voice, video and broadband data solution, according
to the company. The company said that ION can
also be deployed as part of a custom developed
satellite network. Spacenet’s ION is designed with
emergency response personnel in mind, and can be
easily carried and deployed by one or two people,
can be checked as luggage aboard commercial airlines,
or integrated into a mobile command vehicle.
KVH AND VIASAT ROLL-OUT
MINI VSAT NETWORK
In-motion satellite TV and communications provider
KVH Industries has announced a new agreement
with ViaSat, to begin the global rollout of
mini-VSAT broadband satellite communications
service. Under the terms of the deal, KVH and
ViaSat will roll out an exclusive global network
offering access to KVH’s mini-VSAT broadband
service for maritime use with airtime revenue to
be shared between the two companies. KVH has
agreed to acquire satellite capacity from Ku-band
satellite operators as well as purchase three new
regional satellite hubs from ViaSat. These hubs
will use ViaSat’s ArcLight spread spectrum mobile
broadband technology and be operated by ViaSat.
www.TELE-satellite.com — 10-11/2008 — TELE-satellite & Broadband
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