AMN will use Hughes Jupiter gateways and remote terminals to connect several hundred cellular towers via satellite.

Africa Mobile Networks (AMN), which delivers services for the biggest Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in Africa, has selected the Hughes Jupiter System ground platform to backhaul 2G, 3G and 4G cellular network traffic in Madagascar and Nigeria. AMN will deploy Hughes Jupiter gateways and remote terminals to connect several hundred cellular towers via satellite, enabling its operator customers to reach more subscribers in hard-to-reach areas and help bridge the digital divide in the region.

Commenting on the agreement, Michael Darcy, CEO of AMN, said: “The biggest multi-national mobile network operators in Africa depend on AMN’s unique networking business models to serve their customers, whilst we depend on partners like Hughes for the ideal technology for the rural environment along with reliable commercial and technical support. The Hughes Jupiter System meets our objectives for serving hard-to-reach customers in Madagascar and Nigeria with optimal capex, opex and business support so we can help our customers connect more people via tried-and-true satellite backhaul.”

Ramesh Ramaswamy, Executive Vice President, International Division, Hughes, added: “We appreciate that AMN has put their trust in Hughes and our Jupiter System to help meet the needs of their operator customers in bridging the digital divide in Sub-Saharan Africa. This announcement reflects the value of longstanding relationships and a shared commitment to achieving our customers’ business objectives – not just with exceptional technology, but also with extraordinary customer service.”

The latest Jupiter technology incorporates software-defined satellite networking, dynamic inroute reconfiguration for the highest possible efficiency, and a new “system on a chip” in every user terminal that can support increasingly high speeds and a variety of services.