Cape Town, 15 November 2023: Eutelsat OneWeb, the LEO internet provider and part of the Eutelsat Group, and NEC XON, a leading African Information and Communications Technology (ICT) integrator, have signed a multi-year master distribution agreement to bring high-quality LEO connectivity to Sub-Saharan Africa. The deal includes installation and comprehensive training across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Eutelsat OneWeb’s LEO satellite network will provide high-performance, low-latency connectivity to support the rapid growth of the digital economy. This move supports the imperative need for seamless, borderless connectivity in applications such as mobile, oil and gas, agriculture, government and mining. Integration with NEC XON’s high-quality ICT services will enable state-of-the-art connectivity designed for the demands of the African continent. Additionally, the agreement provides for a bandwidth and service level agreement to ensure customers get the speed and QoS they expect.
“As a global leader in ICT, we are embracing Eutelsat’s OneWeb satellite technology, where the partnership marks a critical leap towards a more connected sub-Saharan Africa. This is in line with our commitment to equip businesses across the continent with solutions that drive growth and innovation,” says Wally Beelders, Executive Communications Solutions at NEC XON.
Cyril Dujardin, Co-General Manager of Eutelsat OneWeb, says: “By partnering with NEC XON, Eutelsat OneWeb is positioning its satellite capability with regional expertise to reshape connectivity in Sub-Saharan Africa. This partnership demonstrates the power of LEO to transcend geographic limitations and unlock new applications such as connected agriculture, connected mining sites.connected business and local government e-services.
NEC XON develops innovative solutions that transform the way people live and work. Leveraging NEC’s global expertise in information and communications technology (ICT) and combining it with NEC XON’s deep understanding of the African market, this agreement will support the diverse needs of enterprise customers and ensure end-to-end end device delivery and support customers while keeping energy consumption and costs to a minimum. This is especially true for remote areas, where terrestrial and mobile networks have been a physical and historical challenge and where traditional VSAT has its limitations.