Hughes Wins Major South African VSAT Deal

SPACEMART

HNSï¿½ VSAT products will facilitate the delivery of interactive data, voice, facsimile, and multimedia services, and are projected to support 90 percent of Telkom South Africaï¿½s VSAT requirements. It is estimated that HNS will supply up to 14,000 terminals under this contract.

Germantown - Jan. 16, 2001
Hughes Network Systems (HNS) will provide Telkom South Africa Limited, South Africaï¿½s leading communications operator, with an extensive range of very small aperture terminal (VSAT) satellite equipment and services to serve the countryï¿½s metropolitan and rural areas.

HNS is the leading supplier of VSAT network equipment in Africa with more than fifteen African operators utilizing HNS hubs and HNS equipment deployed in all but three of the African countries.

HNSï¿½ VSAT products facilitate the delivery of interactive data, voice, facsimile, and multimedia services, and are projected to support 90 percent of Telkom South Africaï¿½s VSAT requirements. It is estimated that HNS will supply up to 14,000 terminals under this contract.

With this four-year agreement, HNS will support Telkom SA in the delivery of its SpaceStream VSAT service. The contract also includes sales and marketing support from HNS, and maintenance for ten previously installed HNS satellite hub earth stations.

The SpaceStream VSAT service provides networks to market segments such as financial services, retail, and manufacturing, and government services such as air traffic control, police, and election monitoring.

These networks run a variety of applications from email, Point-of-Sale, ATM, voice, and telex to newer multimedia, business television, and e- learning applications.

"We view this agreement with Hughes Network Systems as a means to aggressively meet our customersï¿½ needs in South Africa and beyond," said Telkom SAï¿½s SpaceStream Portfolio Manager, Sean Victor.

"Africaï¿½s telecommunications market continues to evolve and expand at an explosive rate and HNSï¿½ technology offers the most advanced infrastructure, efficient deployment, and after-sales support as we expand our offerings to our customers."

Telkom SA has already signed a major financial institution as its first customer for a deployment of over 700 remote terminals.

"Telkom SA considered other satellite equipment providers," said Bahram Pourmand, executive vice president of HNS, "but selected HNS based on our past record. We deliver on our promises of strong customer service, advanced product development, and solid marketing support."

SPACEMART

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