Gilat Satellite Networks won a $16 million, nine-month extension of a Colombian government contract to provide rural communications satellite communications services in the country, Gilat announced.

   Gilat currently provides telephony and Internet access to remote communities throughout rural Colombia under the terms of an existing contract with the Colombian Ministry of Information Technology and Communications. Gilat said the extension of the agreements covers 1,800 sites and has the potential to connect more than 4 million rural residents that have limited or no access to basic telecommunications services.

   The sites include telephony centers, small community Internet access telecenters and larger telecenters. Gilat also supplies computers, printers, scanners faxes and webcams for those sites.

   The extension follows a Colombian government deal that Gilat won in December for $18.5 million to provide broadband Internet connectivity to over 1,600 rural schools.