Photo: Amos 5 Coverage Map. Credit: Spacecom

[Via Satellite 11-17-2015] Spacecom has teamed up with Cameroon Internet Service Provider (ISP) Ringo to enable a large-scale cellular-satellite hybrid broadband Internet project using the Amos 5 satellite. Together, the companies are providing connectivity to more than 120 educational institutions, community centers, and rural villages.

Spacecom’s hybrid service uses satellite for downloading data while relying on cellular or other terrestrial data networks for Internet upload requests. Users send a request to the cloud via a GSM modem and all the information is accessed from the satellite with a high throughput downlink. According to Spacecom, the system installation is easy and largely the same irrespective of location.

“With more citizens throughout Africa using Internet services, especially those in outlying and rural areas, our successful project combining cellular and satellite represents a milestone for the continent. We are currently working to further develop this service in other African markets,” said Sharon Weissman Burbea, VP of sales for French-speaking Africa at Spacecom.