Hughes inks broadband deal in Africa

By Susan Rush
from CED Broadband Direct, August 6, 2002

The CBS hit series Survivor may have been filmed in Africa, but high-speed Internet access has been very limited there. AFSAT Communications is looking to change all that, and is turning to Hughes Network Systems to make broadband access a reality.

AFSAT has signed a deal calling for Hughes to deliver a satellite broadband network, including a network operations center and both one-way and two-way terminals. The scalable service, dubbed iWay, will be hosted through HNS Europe's network management center in Griesheim, Germany. Financial terms were not disclosed.

iWay will be offered to AFSAT's residential and business customers in sub-Saharan African countries, including Uganda, Tanzania, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique and Angola.