MoU agreement to provide nanosatellite connectivity

The agreement will enable CTN to offer the services to its individual and small business customers throughout the island nation.

Meir Moalem, Managing Director and CEO of SAS, stated: “A successful collaboration with CTN will provide SAS with initial access to the fast-growing Indonesian market.”

CTN is an Indonesian based provider of data connectivity services via satellite for the cellular, banking, plantation, farming, oil and gas and government sectors of the country’s economy. CTN also provides data connectivity to institutions and retail customers throughout Indonesia.

With a population of over 260 million spread out over thousands of islands, Indonesia is an ideal market for SAS’ nanosatellite technology. Moalem noted that the agreement with CTN will enable SAS to leverage and expand its existing connectivity services across the entire Asia Pacific region.

In addition to the MoU in Indonesia, SAS has also signed a binding MoU agreement with Surinamese Internet Service Provider, Foundation Busie Suriname. Foundation Busie Suriname was granted an Internet Service Provider (ISP) license in 2016 by the Telecoms Authority Suriname (TAS) and provides internet service solutions to individuals and businesses in rural Suriname, South America. Due to the geographic location and number of inhabitants outside of large cities, internet and online connectivity services are unreliable and expensive.

The binding MoU formalises the commercial and technical cooperation between SAS and FBS and marks the commencement of discussions for the provision of SAS’ affordable and reliable connectivity services to the country. The agreement is also the first of its kind to be signed with a connectivity provider in the region. The agreement validates the SAS nano-satellite narrowband connectivity platform and signifies market trust in the company and its technological capabilities.

Referring to the agreement in Suriname, Moalem said: "After a successful demonstration in Guyana last month I am pleased to announce we have secured an agreement with a Surinamese local internet provider. This further validates the capabilities of our network and nano-satellites and I look forward to where the discussions lead. We continue to explore and build our relationships within the South American region and I am confident we will be able to secure many more agreements of this kind in the coming years”.

SAS is the first company to successfully use narrowband connectivity provided by nanosatellites to deliver a voice call, text messaging and financial transactions capabilities. The cost is a fraction of traditional communications providers.

In 2017, SAS successfully launched its ‘three Diamonds’ nanosatellites as a proof of concept. The launch of the first batch of nanosatellites remains on track for 2019. The timetable calls for launching a constellation of 200 nanosatellites beginning next year when partial service is due to begin. Full scale deployment is scheduled for 2020.