Paratus Group has announced a multi-year agreement with global telecommunications provider OneWeb to build a gateway in Luanda, Angola, which will be operational in the second half of 2023.
This new gateway will provide low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite services to several countries in the region and will bring secured solutions not only to enterprises but also to towns, villages, municipalities and schools, including the hardest-to-reach regions of multiple African countries. This is the first of several planned OneWeb gateways in Africa.
This agreement, combined with the recent launch of the Paratus fibre connection to the Democratic Republic of Congo; the inauguration of the Paratus Group’s data centres in Zambia and Namibia; and coverage in all of the Angolan provinces means that Paratus has the requisite infrastructure to provide a highly sophisticated network hub in Angola and one that allows for expansion beyond its borders.
Chief technical officer of Paratus Group Rolf Mendelsohn explains: “With this agreement, we are taking another giant step in realising our plan to use Angola as a communications hub for the region. Being selected as the preferred partner to install the gateway in Angola for OneWeb reaffirms our superior capability in developing world-class telecoms infrastructure in Africa.”
Joe Paciaroni, director of ground infrastructure at OneWeb, says: “When considering the size and persistence of the digital divide, and the connectivity barriers for businesses operating in rural or remote areas, the need for LEO satellite options are obvious. On a global scale, mobile Internet penetration is still only 50%, and many of those who remain offline reside in Africa. By installing OneWeb teleports linked to hundreds of LEOs, we can bridge that divide effectively and affordably. We have chosen to partner with Paratus Angola because the group is rooted in Africa. Paratus totally understands and invests in meeting market demands and is committed to transforming African connectivity through exceptional digital infrastructure.”
The teleport will consist of 16 antennas and a network hosting facility, linking to OneWeb’s LEO infrastructure, thereby connecting Africa to the world and the world to Africa.
About Paratus Group
Paratus is Africa’s quality network. With an eye on the future, the group’s investment in infrastructure underscores its long-term commitment to transforming Africa through exceptional digital infrastructure and customer service. Paratus is managed by a passionate and professional operational team in seven African countries – Angola, Botswana, the DRC, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia. The business’s extended network provides a satellite connectivity-focused service in 37 African countries to a magnitude of customer satellite connections across Africa. This connects African businesses across the continent and delivers end-to-end service excellence. The group’s footprint extends beyond Africa to international points of presence in Europe, the UK and the US.
Born and bred in Africa, Paratus is thinking big as it grows its footprint to deliver Africa’s quality network. By understanding the unique opportunities that Africa offers businesses and individuals to break boundaries and to connect without limits, Paratus is committed to raising the bar for providing quality connectivity in Africa.
About OneWeb
OneWeb is a global communications network powered from space, headquartered in London, enabling connectivity for governments, businesses and communities. It is implementing a constellation of LEO satellites with a network of global gateway stations and a range of user terminals to provide an affordable, fast, high-bandwidth and low-latency communications service, connected to the IoT future and a pathway to 5G for everyone, everywhere. Find out more at www.oneweb.world.
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