The UK-based satellite operator, Avanti Communications Group Plc, has signed a three-year master distributor agreement on its HYLAS 4 and HYLAS 2 satellites with Vox, a South African ICT and telecommunications company.
According to a media release issued by Avanti, the partnership allows Vox to use Avanti’s satellite fleet, which provides full coverage across sub-Saharan Africa, to deliver a cost-effective and reliable high-speed broadband service to the remotest areas in sub-Saharan Africa.
Avanti said it has invested over R2.1 billion (USD 148.9 million) in local infrastructure and new offices in South Africa. The local team will support Vox as they deploy new services to rural and under-serviced areas in sub-Saharan Africa.
Vox will also benefit from Avanti’s HYLAS 4 cost-effective backhaul services, which integrate seamlessly into mobile networks, enabling their Internet of things (IoT) services.
Avanti Sales Director for Africa, Neil Whitehead, said: “We’re delighted to extend our partnership with Vox and support the delivery of affordable broadband around Africa, supporting our mission to help unleash the potential of communities and businesses wherever they are located.”
Jacques Visser, Head of Wireless at Vox, added: “Avanti shares the same vision and goals as Vox in terms of bringing connectivity to areas where it doesn’t exist, and through that vision has demonstrated that they are the ideal partners to assist us in deploying our strategy of taking satellite broadband to under-serviced areas. The local landing station for HYLAS 4 in South Africa opens new opportunities for Ka-band satellite in the SME markets, and we expect Ka-band to play a more prominent role in the SD-WAN space.”
The deal follows a series of recent deals signed by Avanti and other telecommunication entities that are operating in Africa.
On June 11, Avanti announced the signing of a five-year agreement with MGI Global Services Limited, an international voice and data service provider, to provide high-speed satellite broadband services in South Sudan, Chad and Angola.
The U.K-based satellite broadband wholesaler was also recently awarded a landing permit by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to deploy its satellite broadband technology and strengthen connectivity in all parts of the country.
Earlier in February 2019, Avanti inked a deal with MainOne, West Africa’s largest connectivity and data centre service provider. The partnership allows MainOne to leverage Avanti’s HYLAS 4 satellite to boost broadband reach and capacity in the West African market, following the commissioning and launch of Avanti’s new Gateway Earth Station (GES) in Nigeria, hosted at MainOne’s Tier III Data Centre.
