Myanmar-based KBZ Gateway Co announced it has signed a partnership deal with AsiaSat to provide satellite-based networks serving Myanmar with high speed data connectivity services.
KBZ Gateway also unveiled a new earth station in Bago powered by a Jupiter VSAT system from Hughes Network Systems, which will support high-performance data services for businesses and consumers throughout the country.
On the connectivity side, KBZ will use C-band and Ku-band capacity on AsiaSat 4 and AsiaSat 7 to establish high speed data networks across Myanmar.
Philip Balaam, VP of sales and business development at AsiaSat, said that with the scheduled late 2016/early 2017 launch of AsiaSat 9 - whose payload includes a dedicated Ku-band beam for Myanmar - KBZ and its clients will further benefit from increased power, enhanced coverage and smaller, less costly antennas for VSAT broadband and DTH services.
Stephane Lamoureux, CEO of KBZ Gateway and CIO of KBZ Group, said that it’s used VSAT services in Myanmar before, but that bandwidth availability has been minimal.
“It’s good for browsers and not much else. Between the new capacity and the Hughes gateway, we’ll be able to run more applications such as VoIP.”
Vaibhav Magow, regional director of Asia-Pacific at Hughes, adds that Jupiter includes a multi-app gateway. “So they’ll be able to build on what they have now and fulfill future ambitions.”
The earth station - which went live last week but was formally announced June 1 - includes two satellite networks that will connect all KBZ Group company sites countrywide. KBZ Gateway estimates a potential to connect more than 6,000 sites over the next five years.
KBZ Group signed a deal with Hughes in August 2015 to supply the Jupiter system.