Photo by: Muttrah Corniche, Muscat, Oman taken in 2015. (Creative Commons License)

Oman’s largest integrated telecom service provider, Omantel, purchased satellite backhaul services, a gateway hub, and hundreds of terminals from Hughes Network Systems, the operator announced Monday.

Under the terms of the new contract, Hughes will supply Omantel with cellular network backhaul services from its Jupiter Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) system. Hughes has deployed Jupiter at more than 12,000 cellular sites across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Hughes plans to launch its newest Jupiter satellite — Jupiter 3 — in the second half of 2022.

Omantel intends to use the backhaul service to extend its mobile networks to serve more customers.

“Our aim is to connect more subscribers in more places throughout the Sultanate, and satellite backhaul helps expand our network into areas where terrestrial backhaul is onerous or cost-prohibitive,” said Bernhard Van Der Merwe, vice president of Technology at Omantel. “We chose the Hughes Jupiter System due to its high performance and efficiency, as well as scalability for the future. This solution will enable us to cover new areas with our broadband services catering to the needs of individual and business customers across the country and enabling our digital society to grow and expand.”

“This project reflects our strategy to help connect the unconnected in partnership with leading operators, like Omantel, who share our commitment to bridging the digital divide,” said Hughes’ International vice president Dan Losada.

Financial details of the contract were not disclosed.