“All Systems Go” for New Dawn Satellite

Intelsat S.A. today confirmed that the New Dawn satellite remains on schedule for launch aboard an Ariane 5 rocket from the Arianespace Launch Complex in Kourou, French Guiana at approximately 9:45 p.m. GMT (23:45 SA Time) tonight.

As Intelsat New Dawn is being prepared for launch, new business on the satellite continues to expand.  Intelsat announced that SkyeVine Pty (Ltd.), a joint venture company between Ellies Holdings Limited and Q-KON, plans to use capacity on Intelsat New Dawn to provide affordable broadband Internet services to small businesses, domestic and public service entities.

Separately, Intelsat announced that it also signed a contract to provide services to the U.S. Department of Defense for 36 MHz transponder services for one-year, with options for an additional four, one-year contracts.

The Intelsat New Dawn satellite is owned by a joint venture between Intelsat and a consortium led by Convergence Partners. The satellite’s 28 C-band and 24 Ku-band 36 MHz transponder units are designed specifically to supply critical communications infrastructure for African customers who have experienced exceptional growth along with the development of the region. The satellite will be stationed at 32.8º East longitude, and will be integrated with Intelsat’s global satellite fleet.

We chatted with Mike van den Bergh, the CEO of Gateway Communications, about why satellite communications are still relevant to the African continent. Gateway Communications provides pan-African telecoms services across the continent.

What is Gateway Communications’ strategy for Africa

Gateway is focusing on voice and data connectivity, mobile communications and voice as a result of/in light of  increasing growth in data, roll out of 3G networks, increased penetration of smartphones and the reduction of the price of smartphones in Africa. For some the only way to access the internet is on their mobile phones. In the future our focus will be on rolling out networks to rural areas and adapting to regulatory and policy challenges. Satellite can reach remote rural areas, it is easy to set up and reliable although the broadband cost will be higher, connectivity is less disrupted. Our aim is to deploy new technologies to enable rural communications. The New Dawn Satellite will grow Gateway Communications’ portfolio and will mostly provide services to West and Southern Africa.

Is there still room for satellite with all this cable on the ground?

Gateway uses a hybrid approach, with cable there are some disadvantages. You land at one point but need to lay the physical cable out to where it is needed whereas satellite delivery is difficult to disrupt. Africa is a big continent: still 70% of the African continent, in terms of landmass, that for the foreseeable future is only going to be accessible by satellite. Satellite is effective for rural communications – for cables there are practical issues such as laying cables and digging up roads – satellite is offering both reliability and reach. It also provides added resilience. If there is a cable break, you have to have it repaired and will result in connectivity failure.

Are there any particular regions of Africa that are difficult to serve?

Access and ground positioning in Africa are challenges. The DRC is one of the biggest users of satellite capacity and has limited terrestrial infrastructure. There is virtually no terrestrial fibre, with some terrestrial microwave and as a result DRC is heavily reliant on satellite. We still have to physically get in there and set up base stations for satellite transmission.

Places like Chad and CAR are also challenging, it takes a long time to get to specific locations, the terrain is tricky. With satellite communications, you don’t have to drive to a location every day and do maintenance.

At the same time power is challenging, Gateway Communications and Altobridge entered into a joint sales and marketing initiative in September 2010, this partnership offers mobile network operators across Africa the delivery of cost-effective, green-powered remote community mobile communications. Altobridge lite-site™ is a satellite-backhauled, solar-powered, low-cost GSM voice and data solution. Gateway Communications’ Africa CellDirect uses Demand Assigned Multiple Access (DAMA) technology to allocate satellite capacity based on time, frequency and availability.  If someone makes a call or wants to access the internet the DAMA technology releases bandwidth for that and then takes it back when the call is over. Green power provides a clean, reliable service while excess solar power generated can be used to provide free-of-charge handset charging facilities or wider community power-based initiatives such as home lamp power or household batteries. There is no need for someone to go in an replace diesel.

The historic launch can be viewed beginning on March 30 at 5:30 p.m. (23.30 SA Time) via live stream on www.intelsatnewdawn.com.

By Angela Meadon