Cellular backhaul photo illustration: Via Satellite

Intelsat has partnered with Mobile Network Operator (MNO) Inland Cellular to bring 4G LTE broadband coverage to rural areas of Washington state, the companies announced Nov. 13. Inland Cellular will use Intelsat CellBackhaul, a managed service launched earlier this year, to extend its service to customers in rural areas and at remote construction, mining and camping sites. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

Intelsat’s service includes on-site installation and maintenance of equipment, such as antennas and modems, and the operator has partnered with equipment providers Comtech EF Data and Trilogy Networks for this deployment. 

“Our partnership with Intelsat helps increase our speed to market and more efficiently meet peak seasonal demand for connectivity in the areas we serve,” said Inland Cellular President Nathan Weis. “We are a small company that differentiates itself through exceptional customer service, so ensuring our subscribers can stay connected wherever they may go is of the utmost importance to us. With Intelsat CellBackhaul as part of our comprehensive network strategy, we can do just that.”