Agreement ‘covers entire Iberian capacity’ it claims
Spanish satellite operator Hispasat has bought wholesale capacity from Eutelsat Communications to extend broadband’s reach into remote parts of Spain and Portugal and offer mobile operators new backhaul options.
Under the deal, Hispasat will blend its current capacity with that of the Eutelsat Konnect satellite to connect telcos and internet service providers at 100 Mbps. The multi-year agreement is effective immediately and subject to possible extensions, said a release.
Hispasat, the satellite division of Red Eléctrica Group, is now the exclusive operator and distributor of Konnect’s broadband capacity in Spain and Portugal.
Eutelsat covers Germany, France and Italy
The new deal follows wholesale contracts between Eutelsat and Orange France in March 2021 and Telecom Italia in November 2020. In October Deutsche Telekom announced it was using Eutelsat to reach the remotest parts of Germany.
Launched in January 2020, Eutelsat Konnect has a total capacity of 75 Gbps, offering speeds of up to 100 Mbps to both companies and individuals at monthly rates. In July 2020 it was reported that Orange bought all its available capacity in a bid to meet obligations to the French government’s Plan France Haut/Très Haut Débit, which mandates all of France should have access to at least 30Mbps internet access by 2022.
Geostationary satellites are the most powerful, cost-efficient and immediate solution to problem of ubiquitous provision of reliable, high-speed broadband, said Eutelsat CEO Rodolphe Belmer. As a long-time partner Hispasat can be trusted to deliver it, he said.
Connecting los desconectados
No nation can benefit from digitalisation without guaranteed universal connectivity, said Miguel Ángel Panduro, CEO of Hispasat. “Satellite technology has evolved and permits Internet access at 100 Mbps immediately from any location, no matter how inaccessible it is. That’s why we have entered into this partnership with Eutelsat to complement our current capacity.”
Around 7,000 television channels are broadcast by Eutelsat to one billion viewers equipped for DTH reception or connected to terrestrial networks. Paris-based Eutelsat has 1,200 staff in 50 countries.