Satellite and terrestrial connectivity provider Intelsat and mobile infrastructure provider Africa Mobile Networks (AMN) are set to broaden their existing partnership by extending operations into Madagascar, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The collaborative effort aims to deploy more than 1,340 rural base stations across these three new markets.
The integration of Intelsat’s multi-satellite African coverage with AMN’s solar-powered tower solution is central to the partnership’s objective. This combination seeks to bring mobile services to communities that have remained unserved or underserved due to the economic challenges associated with traditional deployment methods.
“Through this commitment to bridging the digital divide, we’ve made a significant impact and we look forward to furthering our mission of connectivity, ensuring that more communities can access the benefits of telecommunication services,” said Jean Philippe Gillet, Senior Vice President of Global Sales for Networks and Media at Intelsat.
In his comments, AMN CEO Mike Darcy said, “Intelsat is a very important partner to AMN. Our strategic partnership has provided essential telecommunication services to 8 million people across Africa, and we look forward to growing that number over the coming years.”
Both companies emphasized the critical role of satellite technology in providing “backhaul” connectivity to remote cell towers, particularly in areas with challenging terrain where conventional solutions like fiber-optic cables and microwave links are impractical.
In a joint statement, Intelsat and AMN highlighted the significance of their partnership, noting that it has already delivered essential telecommunication services to over eight million people across Africa since 2018. The expansion into Madagascar, Rwanda, and the DRC is expected to further contribute to this impact by extending coverage to additional underserved populations.
AMN expressed the importance of Intelsat as a strategic partner, acknowledging their collaboration in providing vital communication services. The companies claim to have deployed more than 3,000 rural base satellite antennas across several African countries, with Nigeria hosting AMN’s largest network. In Nigeria alone, over 1,350 sites have been deployed, including 450 sites built since June 2023, providing phone and internet services to more than 3.5 million people in previously unconnected communities.
