Avanti
awarded
contract
with
RSA
business
chamber
for
wide
scale
SME
connectivity
South
African
Government
funding
for
Ka-band
satellite
broadband
to
over
1,000
SMEs
Avanti
Communications
has
signed
a
new
contract
with
South
Africa’s
business
chamber,
Foundation
for
African
Business
and
Consumer
Services
(FABCOS)
and
its
new
major
business
incubator
programme,
Microtelco
e-ncubator™.
Delivered
via
funding
from
South
Africa’s
Department
of
Trade
and
Industry
(DTI),
the
partnership
will
provide
high
speed
satellite
broadband
to
over
1,000
small
and
medium
sized
enterprises.
The
programme
will
be
deployed
extensively
to
businesses
setting
up
in
some
of
the
remotest
parts
of
South
Africa,
reaching
a
number
of
key
sectors
including
retail,
finance
and
agriculture.
Delivery of resilient broadband connectivity underpins the RSA government’s business growth strategy. Research demonstrates that SMEs are the building blocks of an economy: 91% of the entities in South Africa are SMEs, of which 52–57% contribute to the country’s GDP. FABCOS’s Microtelco e-ncubator™ programme specifically nurtures small telecommunications companies, for which connectivity is a vital part of day to day operations.
Alan
Campbell,
Director
of
ICTGLOBE
Technology
Encubator
(Pty)
Ltd
and
National
Treasurer
General
at
FABCOS:
“Our
new
contract
with
Avanti
is
enabling
us
to
deliver
resilient
broadband
at
scale
to
our
vast
membership.
Access
to
broadband
has
become
as
important
as
any
other
utility
for
businesses
here
to
succeed.
Indeed,
it
is
an
integral
part
of
our
incubation
offering
to
our
members.
A
huge
opportunity
exists
for
connected
enterprises
in
Africa,
and
we
are
excited
for
what
lies
ahead
with
this
significant
satellite
partnership.”
David Williams, Chief Executive of Avanti commented: “Working hand-in-hand with FABCOS, its incubator and the South African government, this contract will deliver vital connectivity and training to the hundreds of businesses for whom broadband will power growth. FABCOS is acting today to bring the countless socio-economic benefits of broadband to its members. Avanti shows that no-one in South Africa needs to wait for tomorrow to get connected.”
