Irish start-up company Mandac is delighted to report winning a major project with the European Space Agency, in conjunction with Intersat Africa and Astra Broadband Service SA. The project will involve an initial deployment of more than 500 Wireless-To-Go™ devices across five countries in East Africa over 12 months, with a further roll-out of 5,000 units over the next 3 years

Wireless-To-Go™ is a single box that helps people to distribute internet access and was designed in Ireland for the Middle-East and Africa. It works on the basis of pre-pay, uses very little power, and supports a range of languages and payment options, including scratch cards and mobile phone credit.

This project is supported, and made possible, by The European Space Agency which supports technical innovations they consider good and innovative and which address a particular need. Qualifying projects are evaluated under their ARTES (Advance Research in TElecommunications Systems) program. Wireless-To-Go™ is low-maintenance and can be parachuted anywhere, low-cost single solution box, low-power consumption means that it will run off a car battery and ticked a number of boxes.

John Murphy, Mandac founder said “what makes Wireless-To-Go™ special is its reliability and the fact that it requires no technical expertise on the ground. One button press and the shop is ready for business in 30 seconds. The pre-pay aspect of Wireless-To-Go™ removes all credit management risks. In Africa, where reliable power can be an issue,Wireless-To-Go™ doesn’t just help businesses in rural communities, it changes lives.”

Abdul Bakhrani, CEO, Intersat Group said “At Intersat we’re in the business of breaking down the price barrier that has held back the majority of Africans from benefitting from the Internet. Not only have we connected businesses, government organisations, internet service providers, educational institutions and hospitals but we have also brought affordable Broadband Internet via Satellite to rural Africa. Wireless-To-Go™ helps us do this”.

Antonio Bove, Product Manager, Astra Broadband Services S.A. Said “in rural and developing Countries with very challenging business environment it is crucial to rely on inexpensive low power consumption devices to address the raising demand of access to internet. We are proud to cooperate with Intersat and Mandac to bridge the Digital Divide with Rural Internet Kiosks"

Mandac is an Enterprise Ireland Client and John Murphy is also a participant on the Hothouse programme, which is supported by Enterprise Ireland, DIT and the Bolton Trust. Tony McDonald of Enterprise Ireland said“Mandac is an excellent example of an innovative Irish start up company developing highly innovative applications for export. It is one of a growing number of Irish technology companies successfully developing products for export through involvement in programmes of the European Space Agency.”

According to John Murphy of Mandac “Africa is an emerging market and a land of opportunity. It’s a fantastic place to do business. In my opinion we need to be making things that somebody else values and is willing to pay for. Wireless-To-Go™ firmly ticks that box.”