Alcatel Spacecom vice-president Alain Roger has signed shareholder agreements with Luis Escobar, CEO of Andesat, establishing the creation of Bolivar*Sat. This is a new joint venture for providing telecommunications, broadcasting, Internet services and rural telephony to some 600 million people in the Andean region and other countries stretching as far north as Canada. Andesat SA Ema, with 51 per cent of the shares, is a multinational company with some 48 shareholders in five countries (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela), formed in 1997 to develop regional satellite communications. It holds licences to launch and operate a ‘Simon Bolivar’ satellite system with spacecraft in geostationary orbit at 61 and 67 degrees West. Alcatel Space, which will hold 49 per cent of the shares in Bolivar*Sat, and will act as strategic partner, announced that it will act as prime contractor for the satellite system, as well as partnership development and financing strategy.