Eutelsat OneWeb signs satellite deal with Paratus South Africa

Satellite operator Eutelsat OneWeb has announced a deal with specialist connectivity provider Paratus South Africa to enhance Paratus' connectivity offering in South Africa and provide satellite connectivity to more rural areas.

Eutelsat combined its geostationary (GEO) satellite operations with OneWeb, a global low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications network, in September 2023, to become Eutelsat OneWeb under the Eutelsat Group.

Paratus South Africa already provides GEO satellite services through its long-standing partnership with Eutelsat Group. This new agreement further strengthens its satellite connectivity services through a combined GEO-LEO offering to address businesses operating in remote parts of the country – including retail, banking, mining, agriculture and tourism.

Under this latest agreement, Eutelsat OneWeb services have been integrated within the Paratus core fiber network covering over 20,000km across Sub-Saharan Africa, enabling Paratus South Africa to offer high-capacity connectivity solutions to its customers.

"The adaptability and scalability of the Eutelsat OneWeb system make it a promising solution for the diverse and unique challenges faced by the African continent. Together with Paratus South Africa, we will demonstrate how LEO can overcome geographical barriers and redefine connectivity in the region, to serve banking, mining, enterprise, and offshore markets," Eutelsat OneWeb co-GM Cyril Dujardin said of the deal.

Eutelsat OneWeb combines Eutelsat's 36 GEO satellites with OneWeb's constellation of more than 600 LEO satellites. (Source: liuzishan on Freepik)

"Introducing the Eutelsat OneWeb LEO service is a momentous step for the telecommunications industry in South Africa. As a nation, we are embracing the future of connectivity, transcending geographical boundaries, and enabling opportunities like never before," added Paratus South Africa MD Kallie Carlsen.

Paratus operates in seven African countries – Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia – and its extended network provides services in more than 35 African countries as well as international points of presence (PoPs) in Europe and the US.

African expansion

In line with its global rollout plan, Eutelsat OneWeb has now activated its satellite network portals (SNP) in South Africa and Mauritius with additional ground station sites in Ghana and Angola coming online soon to further strengthen network services and capacity across the region.

Eutelsat OneWeb said its services are set to be further enhanced in the coming months with a new dedicated South African gateway.

Eutelsat OneWeb has a fleet of 36 geostationary satellites and a constellation of more than 600 LEO satellites.

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In late 2022, OneWeb also signed a five-year agreement with Q-KON Africa to distribute LEO satellite connectivity services to off-grid locations in Africa.

In March 2023, OneWeb made a deal with telecom operator Orange to provide front and backhaul connectivity to the telco's customers in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.

*Top image source: Eutelsat OneWeb.

— Paula Gilbert, Editor, Connecting Africa