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SpeedCast Opens the World to the People of Rural Afghanistan by Providing Satellite and Off-Grid Small Cell Communications Solutions

March 21, 2017

SpeedCast International Limited announced that it is connecting residents in remote villages in Afghanistan through a partnership with one of the country’s largest CDMA operators, Wasel Telecom. Connectivity is provided through a fully managed, off-grid small cell end-to-end solution that includes satellite communications, solar panels, base transceiver stations (BTS) and accompanying towers.

“The solution SpeedCast is providing here is making a difference in people’s lives,” said PJ Beylier, CEO, SpeedCast. “We are enabling the rural population in Afghanistan to gain access to modern communications infrastructure so they can see the world with a new perspective. The arrangement has the potential to bring broadband, cellular services, e-health services, e-learning and telemedicine to the most remote areas of the globe.”

After completing a successful proof of concept with Wasel Telecom to connect three rural villages, SpeedCast and Wasel Telecom agreed to collaborate on a bid for an upcoming project for the Afghan government. The work would extend the solution to more than 200 villages in the hardest-to-reach areas of the country.

“We are excited to collaborate with a customer-focused company like SpeedCast,” said Mr. Hatem Al Sibai, CEO, Wasel Telecom. “I’m extremely confident that our combined expertise will enable a solution that will change the lives of the Afghan people.”

What is an Off-Grid Small Cell Solution?

An off-grid small cell solution is a radio access network that includes outdoor small cells (low-powered radio access nodes that operate in licensed and unlicensed spectrum supporting 2G, 3G and 4G LTE) and a base station controller. Satellite backhaul completes the solution. The network is enabled by a solar power system and battery bank with a self-supporting tower and has a range of up to 5km.