Avanti Communications, a leading provider of satellite data communications services, announced a partnership with leading Africa/Latin American operator, Millicom to bring broadband connectivity to consumer, enterprise and government applications.
This will include the deployment of the Avanti ECO initiative across Sub-Saharan Africa, which will provide ECO Wi-Fi services to schools and communities, addressing the digital divide in the region. By combining Avanti’s satellite technology, with the market reach expertise from Millicom, the partnership will additionally commission a new Gateway Earth Station (GES) in Senegal.
Avanti will build a new GES and utilise Sen-Connect’s soon to be launched Diamniadio Data Centre. Sen-Connect is a fully owned Millicom subsidiary in charge of managing this new data centre which is part of the master development plan of Diamniadio being pioneered by the Senegalese government.
Continuing to improve broadband connectivity in the region, Millicom will support the deployment of ECO wireless base station sites across Sub-Saharan Africa with Avanti, providing rural schools and communities which have poor and no internet connectivity, with a quality and reliable broadband connection.
The ECO Wi-Fi initiative, launched by Avanti in October 2016, consists of solar-powered ECO Wi-Fi hotspots which will be hosted at schools, which in turn will benefit from subsidised Internet access. Consumers and local businesses, within range of the ECO Wi-Fi hotspot, will use the ECO mobile payment app (newly developed by Avanti) to make micropayments for broadband credits which convert to data usage.
Mohamed Dabbour, EVP. Millicom Africa
Our support to the GES will ensure provision of highly secure, quality data connectivity to government, enterprise and retail customers in Senegal. Working with Avanti to ensure its Ka-band services address the enormous potential in Africa, together with the ECO initiative is a great opportunity.
David Williams, CEO at Avanti Communications
Avanti is pleased to partner with Millicom, who are well placed to support our infrastructure and deliver market access across Sub Saharan Africa for our products. In particular, working together on the ECO project to deliver satellite backhauled rural access is a significant opportunity.
