Leveraging the higher performance and better economics of Intelsat
EpicNG, SkyNet de Colombia and Intelsat will
connect close to 600 remote sites.
Partnership will bring more schools and communities across Colombia
online.
LUXEMBOURG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 8, 2016--
Nearly 4 billion people remain unconnected in the world. Bridging the
digital divide is critical to bolstering a country’s GDP growth and
ensuring inclusion from a social, political and economic perspective for
any community.
Intelsat (NYSE: I), operator of the world’s first Globalized Network,
powered by its leading satellite backbone, announced an agreement with
SkyNet de Colombia a subsidiary of Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de
Bogota ETB to support the Colombian Ministry of Information Technologies
and Communications’s Kiosco VIVE DIGITAL Phase III (KDVIII) project,
whose sole aim is to bring broadband and internet connectivity to remote
communities and schools in rural areas across Colombia.
Under the multi-year agreement, Skynet de Colombia will leverage the
high speed performance of Intelsat 29e, the first of Intelsat’s next
generation, high throughput Intelsat EpicNG satellites,
located at 310° East. Together, Skynet de Colombia and Intelsat will
provide broadband and internet connectivity to approximately 600 remote
sites, across 250 municipalities. The services delivered to the
communities will include internet access as well as programs that
promote the use of technologies in the community.
“Intelsat’s high throughput Intelsat EpicNG satellites are
bringing unprecedented power, cost savings and accessibility to
broadband connectivity to people living in regions where there is a lack
of terrestrial infrastructure,” said Rene Otero, CTO, SkyNet de
Colombia. ”With greater access to reliable, high quality broadband
services, remote communities can receive the same type of advantages and
services that are afforded to those that live in the more developed
areas of Colombia. We are happy to partner with Intelsat to support the
KDVIII initiative and play an integral role in bringing more people and
communities on-line throughout Colombia.”
Intelsat EpicNG’s efficiency delivers more throughput to the
user, the backwards compatibility allows customers to use their existing
hardware, and the open architecture enables customers to choose the
network hardware that best suits their applications. This delivers
unprecedented choice, control and consistent levels of service across
the platform at a much lower cost of total ownership, enabling fixed and
mobile network operators to cost-effectively enhance their networks to
meet growing demands from existing customers while also extending the
reach of their networks to capture new growth in remote areas.
“The KDVIII project in Colombia is a great example of the role that
public and private partnerships can play in ensuring that digital
inclusion is available for all citizens, whether they reside in remote
communities or urban areas,” said Carmen Gonzalez-Sanfeliu, Intelsat’s
Regional Vice President, Latin America and Caribbean. ”The flexibility
of Intelsat’s Globalized Network will allow Skynet de Colombia to take
full advantage of the power that our next generation Intelsat EpicNG
fleet delivers and ensure that SkyNet’s customers receive a seamless
broadband experience that continues to be known for its superior quality
and reliability.”
Supporting Resources:
About Kioscos VIVE Digital
Kioscos VIVE Digital is an initiative of the Ministry of Information
Technologies and Communications which aims to provide communal internet
access points to 100% of the population centers of more than 100 people.
The project is focused on rural areas and remote locations as part of
the aim to achieve digital inclusion of children, youth and adults of
all ages.
About Intelsat
Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I) operates the world’s first Globalized Network,
delivering high-quality, cost-effective video and broadband services
anywhere in the world. Intelsat’s Globalized Network combines the
world’s largest satellite backbone with terrestrial infrastructure,
managed services and an open, interoperable architecture to enable
customers to drive revenue and reach through a new generation of network
services. Thousands of organizations serving billions of people
worldwide rely on Intelsat to provide ubiquitous broadband connectivity,
multi-format video broadcasting, secure satellite communications and
seamless mobility services. The end result is an entirely new world, one
that allows us to envision the impossible, connect without boundaries
and transform the ways in which we live. For more information, visit www.intelsat.com.
About SkyNet de Colombia
SkyNet de Colombia, a subsidiary of Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de
Bogota ETB, is a telecommunications service provider specializing in
satellite services. It integrates the most advanced and efficient
technologies available from its own teleports using C-band and Ku-band
satellite bandwidth. Skynet offers high quality internet access and
Voice and Data services in remote regions of Latin America, including
maritime services, where fiber infrastructure is poor or non-existent.
With over 20 years of experience in the field, Skynet achieved
double-digit sustained growth in the last five years, establishing
itself as a leading provider of satellite telecommunications in the
region. Although its main business focus is the corporate and government
sector, medium-term plans include expanding offerings to small and
medium businesses (SOHO) and to the direct to home video market (DTH)
with integrated IP services. Skynet plans to not only gain market share
but expand the demand by offering high quality services at competitive
prices. SkyNet’s headquarters are located in the World Trade Center in
Bogota, Colombia.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160308005243/en/
Source: Intelsat
Intelsat
Michele Loguidice, +1 703-559-7372
Director, Investor
Relations and Corporate Communications
michele.loguidice@intelsat.com
