MUMBAI: Satellite services provider Eutelsat has announced that it has been selected by Al Harbi Telecom (AHT), a global Vsat solutions provider, to provide capacity for Bayanat international satellite gateway for Saudi Arabia.

The five-year contract concerns two Ku-band transponders of 310 mbps on Eutelsats Sesat 1 satellite. Bayanat Al-oula for Network Services, a licensed telecom service provider in Saudi Arabia, will use the capacity on Ssesat 1 for one-stop solutions to ISPs and users in the public and private sector in Saudi Arabia who will be able to benefit from international data connections, broadband Internet access, video conferencing and distance-learning applications.

AHT has over 12 years experience providing global VSat for data and telecommunications services within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and throughout the region. AHT is a total solution provider of data communications focussing on such high bandwidth services as video-conferencing and point to multi-point Wan connectivity.

AHT chairman,Nasser Bin Nahit says, We selected the Sesat 1 satellite after a careful and detailed study of all satellite offerings available today. Technical specifications, with a guaranteed hi-link availability and good satellite coverage, were important factors in our decision. We were also very impressed with Eutelsats high level of commitment to technical support and we expect to launch our service in 1 December.

Eutelsat commercial director ,Olivier Milliès-Lacroix said, It is a great achievement to have satisfied the requirements of Al Harbi Telecom which has longstanding experience in VSat technology and supplying satellite-based communications networks around the world. This contract further consolidates Eutelsats ability to address requirements in the dynamic Middle East market where satellites clearly have a unique competitive advantage through their ubiquitous coverage and ability to provide direct connectivity to other regions of the world.