Launch of Pan-African Satellite Offers Promise of Improved African Telecommunications

On December 20, RASCOMSTAR-QAF launched the first telecommunications satellite dedicated solely to the African continent. The satellite was built by Thales Alenia Space under a $150 million turnkey contract with the Regional African Satellite Communication Organization (RASCOM), a treaty-based, inter-governmental organization. RASCOMSTAR-QAF is the pan-African operator in charge of deploying and operating the satellite, including system financing, design, supply, construction, installation, reception, and maintenance.

The satellite will provide fixed voice and data, Internet access, and broadcasting services. In particular, the satellite should help improve Internet and telecommunications connectivity in rural communities that currently have limited, if any, access to phone and Internet services. The dedicated satellite will reduce costs and improve pan-African inter-connectivity for African telecom operators.

Thales Alenia Space is a joint venture between Thales (67%), a French aerospace, defense, and IT company, and Finmeccanica (33%), an Italian aerospace and defense company. RASCOMSTAR-QAF, registered in Mauritius, is a joint partnership of LAIP (33%), GPTC (29%), RASCOM (26%) and Thales Alenia Space (12%).

For more information related to Africa’s first dedicated telecommunications satellite, see:

• Press Release from Thales
• RASCOM inter-governmental organization homepage
• RASCOMSTAR pan-African satellite operator homepage