MDXI data centre, a subsidiary of MainOne, has partnered with British satellite operator Avanti Communications Group Plc to host and manage the satellite operator’s in-country gateway earth station (GES) in West Africa
The partnership has already delivered the commissioning of Avanti’s first GES in West Africa, hosted at MDXI’s satellite farm in Lagos.
The project, which has seen Avanti invest up to US$20mn in the Nigerian Gateway, is expected to ensure data from the HYLAS 4 Ka-band satellite is delivered efficiently in-country and interconnected with other networks. The HYLAS 4 Ka-band satellite will deliver High Throughput Satellite (HTS) connectivity to complement the country’s existing fibre-optic networks, ensuring access is available to enable high-speed internet everywhere, even to the most remote and rural locations.
Applications that will be supported by this Avanti’s 3rd Ka-band satellite include satellite broadband services for homes and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), rural schools, large enterprises and government agencies and cellular backhaul for 2G, 3G and 4G mobile networks.
Avanti’s efforts in Nigeria will also include the deployment of its every community online (ECO) initiative, with built-in Wi-Fi hotpots in schools, communities and government agencies, especially in the underserved and remote parts of the country where power availability and connectivity services remain a challenge. In addition, the satellite operator will take advantage of MainOne’s extensive coverage to extend its market reach across nine countries in West Africa.
Avanti’s technology aims to terrestrial-quality, affordable and fast satellite broadband services. Given the satellite’s footprint across Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa, the services provided are expected to greatly enhance eGovernment, eLearning, eCommerce, eHealth and eBanking services in rural areas among others.
The new satellite will also offer support to oil and gas companies and enable coverage to remote onshore, offshore and deep offshore locations.
Speaking on the agreement, general manager of MDXI, Gbenga Adegbiji, said, “While ineffective distribution of available bandwidth inland continues to hinder Nigeria’s broadband targets, our partnership with Avanti provides Nigeria with the opportunity to make accelerated broadband expansion possible via satellite, to overcome last-mile gaps experienced in fibre infrastructure and enable the attainment of 30 per cent broadband penetration target in the national broadband plan.”
