Gilat been selected by Russian Yakutia Ministry of Finance to provide a full turnkey SkyEdge II broadband satellite network to serve new Ministry of Finance locations across Sakha (Yakutia) Republic, one of Russia's largest Federal Districts.

Satellite-based connectivity is essential for communications in Yakutia which has fewer than one million people spread over more than 3,100,000 square kilometers.

As part of the agreement, Gilat will provide the Ministry with a SkyEdge II platform, including hub installation, integration with previously installed Sky Edge platforms, and service support and maintenance. The Company will also oversee the installation of remote sites across Yakutia's expansive and rugged geography. The network offers the Ministry improved utilization of space segment and maximizes bandwidth efficiency at a time when the supply of capacity in the Russian satellite market is nearly exhausted.

Gilat will implement the turn-key SkyEdge II network in cooperation with GBU "CIBP", the local operator and service provider of the Yakutia Ministry of Finance.

The new satellite-based broadband network will provide essential telephony, internet and video-conferencing connectivity to new branches of the Ministry and is expected to be operational by August this year. The network is designed for multi-star operation and can be connected to additional service centers to enable future deployment of additional services.

"The solid performance of the current SkyEdge System and Gilat's product leadership, service support and ability to offer a turnkey solution that meets our technical and timeline requirements were key considerations in the selection process. By upgrading the Ministry's network to Gilat's SkyEdge II platform, we intend to deliver broadband access to a growing number of locations across Yakutia and we are excited to be able to do so with a solution that is an optimal fit to Russia's bandwidth-constrained environment, " said Mr. Aisen Evgenievich NIKITIN, General Manager, GBU "CIBP".

"Gilat has long been at the forefront of delivering efficient, reliable communication services internationally. Our partnership with the Yakutia Ministry of Finance and GBU is a clear vote of confidence in Gilat's ability to execute large turnkey projects with the most challenging technical, operational and geographic parameters. We look forward to supporting the ongoing efforts to drive improved connectivity throughout Yakutia", said Arie Rozichner, Gilat's RVP Eurasia.