Intelsat makes a strategic investment in AMN to accelerate the
adoption of mobile connectivity in the region and close the digital
divide
LONDON & LUXEMBOURG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 16, 2018--
Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I) (“Intelsat”), operator of the world’s first
Globalized Network and leader in integrated satellite communications,
and Africa Mobile Networks (AMN) announced today that Intelsat has made
a strategic investment in AMN. The purpose of the investment is to
accelerate the deployment of mobile connectivity to unserved communities
across multiple countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Given the economic and geographic complexities of expanding mobile
connectivity to the ultra-rural areas of Africa, many mobile network
operators (MNOs) face barriers when trying to deploy their networks to
these areas. AMN provides MNOs with a network-as-a-service (NaaS)
solution in which AMN will fund, build and operate the ultra-rural
network for the operators. As a result, African mobile operators will be
able to extend their coverage with minimal opex and capex risk, enabling
them to grow their subscriber and revenue base, and better serve all
their customers.
At the core of AMN’s solution is a low-cost, small cell solution that is
powered by a highly reliable solar-based system which can be rapidly
deployed and installed in less than 6 hours. As part of
the long-term agreement, AMN will leverage the power, performance and
efficiencies generated by Intelsat’s next-generation Intelsat EpicNG high-throughput
satellites (HTS), as well as the 23 Intelsat satellites covering the
continent to provide the optimal balance between coverage and
high-throughput for the enabled sites.
Once installed, the sites will connect over the Intelsat fleet to the
core of the mobile network operator and deliver 2G mobile services, such
as GSM voice, SMS and GPRS/EDGE packet data, with the ability to upgrade
the base stations to 3G and 4G as data demands allow.
“The high performance, redundancy and flexibility of Intelsat’s
satellite fleet over Africa made them an ideal partner for us,” said
Michael Darcy, AMN’s chief executive officer. “Intelsat shares our view
that mobile coverage is not spreading quickly enough and as such,
invested in AMN’s vision of installing a cell site in every African
village. Together, we can accelerate the deployment of mobile
connectivity and work to ensure that communities, wherever they are
located, have equal access to high quality, sustainable and affordable
broadband connectivity.”
Jean-Philippe Gillet, Intelsat’s vice president and general manager,
broadband, said, “Bringing mobile connectivity to the most rural parts
of Africa requires hybrid networks and innovative business models to
truly close the business case. By investing in and partnering with AMN,
we can rapidly, and cost effectively expand an MNO’s reach and deliver
critical connectivity to communities who many thought were impossible to
connect. We look forward to our partnership with AMN and the ability to
deliver a network that will support the social and economic development
of communities throughout sub-Saharan Africa.”
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 AMN
AMN’s mission is to build mobile network base stations serving rural
communities in sub-Saharan Africa which have no existing service,
providing mobile network operators with a capex-free route to add new
subscribers and new revenues and with incremental costs. The vision of
AMN is a fully-connected Africa, with no community of any significant
size being without basic telecommunications services to deliver social,
economic, educational and other benefits to the population. For more
information contact AMN at info@africamobilenetworks.com
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181016005320/en/
Source: Intelsat
Intelsat
Michele Loguidice, +1-703-559-7372
Director,
Corporate Communications
michele.loguidice@intelsat.com