Spot beams covering Africa. Photo: Fibersat.

[Via Satellite 09-14-2015] Burgeoning satellite operator Fibersat has signed a framework agreement with Arabsat for the acquisition of a high throughput Ka-band hosted payload on an upcoming satellite. The payload, known has Fibersat 1, will provide High Throughput Satellite (HTS) capacity for markets in Africa starting in 2018.

At launch, Fibersat will provide Internet access services to remote locations across the continent using low cost, commercially available VSAT terminals. The company has already signed significant pre-launch orders with telecommunications operators providing network services in the Africa region.

“Fibersat has now taken the first step in realizing the dream of ultra low cost broadband in Africa,” said Christof Kern, CEO of Fibersat. “By combining the benefits of a power-optimized HTS design and leveraging a hybrid satellite architecture, Fibersat will be able to offer customers unprecedented price levels for satellite services which is key in price-sensitive markets like Africa. This is the only way to meet the exploding demand for Internet in Africa, the fastest growing market in the world.”