SkyeVine, Realtime roll out VSAT in Zambia

INTERNET

Wholesale operator SkyeVine has partnered with ISP Realtime Zambia to roll out VSAT services to remote areas of Zambia.

Realtime Zambia is a registered provider of leading-edge, high speed broadband solutions including Fibre Optics, Wireless Networks, Free Space Optics and VSAT. The company serves Zambia’s growing commercial market, incorporating small-to-medium and large enterprises.

Eyeing a gap in the market for connectivity to small, remote business - including lodges, mines and farms, Realtime Zambia entered into negotiation with SkyeVine to assist in the provision of VSAT connectivity and extend the service to key regions throughout the country.

SkyeVine provides ubiquitous, prepaid, unshaped internet coverage over the sub-Saharan African region governed by a pricing model based on usage. The company uses a state-of-the-art remote terminal unit, which, in its compact form, provides an Ethernet interface to a PC or LAN router with a maximum transmit rates of 256kbps and receive rate of 4Mbps.

The company utilises New Dawn geostationary satellite infrastructure to ensure seamless coverage using a 90cm subscriber terminal. This Internet gateway and teleport equipment is used to provide Africa-to-Africa connectivity.

The deal expands the company’s reach into a largely untapped market in Zambia and will ensure fast, reliable and cost-effective connectivity to businesses in remote locations. Realtime Zambia’s offices in Lusaka, Livingstone, Kitwe and Lumwana were used to assist SkyeVine in facilitating this reach.

“The system can be used to manage usage profiles to maximise data transfer or throughput and do so with minimal costs. The end user can also purchase the equipment and install it at no cost to the ISPs and operators,” explains Anton Kotze, Managing Executive for SkyeVine. “The combination of our resources, skill sets and experience in this market - and the contribution of Realtime Zambia was effective in addressing the challenge of remote installation and support.”

As a result of the deal Realtime Zambia has enhanced its service portfolio with what its management describe as a “step-up” on VSAT technology, an offering that was previously unavailable through any other vendor.

“This partnership has filled a niche market for Realtime. It has allowed us to diversify our portfolio and has also created additional revenue streams,” explains Ken Hyslop, Managing Director, Corporate Development at Realtime Zambia.

Management at both SkyeVine and Realtime Zambia are confident of the growth and influence of this service to the market. They believe the demand for good quality broadband, specifically from SMEs and consumers in remote locations, will continue to drive service delivery.