Page 48 - SAMENA Trends - April-May 2021

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

commercial wins. Most notably, we are partnership with Facebook to roll out perspective, recent weeks have been
now seeing real momentum in our Fixed Express Wi-Fi hotspots across our African marked by our entry into the LEO space
Broadband ramp-up with EUTELSAT footprint. The outturn of our Third Quarter through our investment in OneWeb, which
KONNECT now at full coverage, enabling revenues performance is fully in line with represents a compelling entry point to
us to make tangible progress in Western our expectations and enables us once address the considerable LEO opportunity
Europe with retail operations extended again to raise the bottom end of our as well as an additional growth engine for
to new territories and gross additions objective range for the year as a whole, as the Group’s connectivity activities”.
gaining pace. Distribution has also been well as to reconfirm all other elements of
strengthened in Africa, notably with a our financial guidance. From a strategic

Eutelsat Expands Use of Express Wi-Fi in Partnership with Facebook to
Extend Wi-Fi Connectivity Throughout Sub-Saharan Africa

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris:
ETL) is expanding its use of the Express Wi-
Fi platform in partnership with Facebook
to provide broadband services via satellite
across several regions in Sub-Saharan
Africa. With Express Wi-Fi, Eutelsat aims
to connect thousands of people in rural
and underserved communities spanning
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),
Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Tanzania, Uganda,
Zambia, Kenya, Madagascar, South Africa,
Cameroon, Ghana and Zimbabwe. Express
Wi-Fi is a platform developed by Facebook
Connectivity that enables partners to build,
grow and monetize their Wi-Fi businesses
in a scalable way, while providing their
customers with fast, affordable, and
reliable internet access. Express Wi-Fi is DRC. Philippe Baudrier, General Manager help expand connectivity in Sub-Saharan
used in more than 30 countries, including of Konnect Africa commented: “We are Africa, which continues to be the region
in multiple Asian, South American and delighted to partner with Facebook in this with the highest coverage gap,” said
African markets, helping millions of people ambitious scheme, aimed at getting more Fargani Tambeayuk, Head of Connectivity
connect over Wi-Fi. Eutelsat and Facebook people online in the most underserved Policy for Sub-Saharan Africa, Facebook.
have previously conducted successful areas of sub-Saharan Africa. This initiative “Connectivity is essential to ensuring
pilots in rural and underserved areas is the perfect example of the power of access to jobs, education, healthcare and
of the Democratic Republic of Congo satellite connectivity to bridge the digital more. We’re proud to partner with Eutelsat
(DRC) enabling local businesses to offer divide, with unmatched economic and to combine the power of the Express Wi-
affordable internet access to customers social benefits. We are proud once again Fi platform and EUTELSAT KONNECT, with
on a pre-paid basis. To date, Eutelsat’s to leverage the unparalleled coverage the goal of increasing satellite broadband
use of the Express Wi-Fi platform has of EUTELSAT KONNECT to satisfy this coverage across rural and underserved
enabled access to affordable broadband growing demand.” “At Facebook, we’re areas of Sub-Saharan Africa.”
for thousands of individuals across the committed to working with partners to

Eutelsat Enters LEO Space Through Investment in OneWeb

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext regulatory authorizations. With much reaching global coverage the following
Paris: ETL) has entered into an agreement of its global network already deployed, year. OneWeb will be the first complete
with OneWeb for the subscription of a the OneWeb constellation, which enjoys non-geostationary constellation with truly
c.24% equity stake, becoming a leading valuable ITU-backed priority spectrum global coverage, significantly ahead of
shareholder of the company alongside the rights, will operate 648 satellites in low competing projects. It will deliver 1.1 Tbps
UK Government and Bharti Global. Eutelsat orbit (LEO) offering low latency. This first of capacity addressing the government,
will invest $550 million in OneWeb, with generation of satellites will offer significant fixed data and mobility markets. Plans
closing expected in H2 2021 subject to regional coverage by the end of 2021, include a second-generation constellation

48 APRIL-MAY 2021