Bentley Walker Extends VSAT Service to Iraq

28 August 2014

Bentley Walker is extending its coverage to Iraq using Newtec’s Ka-band VSAT broadband platform.

The new service, which will initially deliver high speed broadband connectivity to Iraq, went live yesterday and will provide reliable high speed Internet connectivity across the country using a Newtec IP Broadband HUB installed at Avanti’s new gateway at Makarios Teleport in Cyprus. The new service will use High Throughput Satellite (HTS) Ka-band capacity on Avanti’s HYLAS 2 satellite which was launched in August 2012. Complex geography and poor terrestrial infrastructure in Iraq means satellite based broadband Internet is quickly becoming the preferred high speed solution for the majority of the country.

Anthony Walker, CEO of Bentley Walker, said: “We have been very happy with our Ka-band system, which also uses Newtec equipment, in Libya, where it is our number one selling service, and we will use the same product to take us to the forefront of the market in Iraq. The Newtec Network Management System will provide our in-country distribution partners full access and control to the installed terminals, allowing our partners to deliver on-the-spot after-sales support in the local language. Newtec’s unique capability to enable Committed Information Rate (CIR) services is another clear advantage that allows us to extend our services to business users who typically have higher service requirements. We can now deliver tailor-made service solutions in line with the requirements of all customers.”

The Newtec VSAT terminals have been designed for both consumers as well as for small and medium enterprises (SME). The terminals provide bi-directional connectivity over satellite, supporting a wide range of IP-based services like Internet access and VoIP, as well as multicast based services. Newtec’s modems are engineered to operate with the latest generation of high throughput Ka-band satellites, enabling much higher throughput than has previously been possible.

Serge Van Herck, CEO of Newtec, said: “We believe there is a high demand in Iraq for satellite Internet access and we are very pleased to be working with our partners Bentley Walker and Avanti to deliver a new service offering in the region. Our VSAT terminals have been developed to keep operational costs down whilst maintaining maximum quality and ensuring the optimal link for each and every end user.”

Newtec has already delivered thousands of terminals for Bentley Walker’s Freedomsat service in Libya, which was launched only one year ago. Several of Newtec’s VSAT hubs have already been deployed by Avanti and are currently being operated from Avanti’s teleport in Cyprus, enabling service deployment towards the various HTS Ka-band spotbeams on the HYLAS 2 Ka-band satellite.