STM Subsidiary Awarded $25 Million Contract in Brazil Over 3,000 VSATs to be Deployed

March 13, 2012

STM Group announced that Vodanet Telecommunicaceoes, its teleport and service subsidiary in Brazil, has signed a contract with Companhia de Tecnologia da Informação do Estado de Minas Gerais (PRODEMGE) for deployment of VSAT services at over 3,000 locations. The VSATs will be used to serve the Department of Health of the State of Minas Gerais.

PRODEMGE, as a leading Information Technology company, is one of the most advanced public sector enterprises in Brazil committed to deployment of latest technologies for the computerized administration of the state affairs. Its network and services are provided to various sectors, including the state's health, education, transport, finance, and judiciary branches. Through deploying the most advanced information and communication technologies, PRODEMGE helps provide better access to information, enabling the state institutions to better serve the population while also being able to make better use of information in decision making.
Under the terms of the new contract, Vodanet will install a Hub in Minas Gerais and integrate it with PRODEMGE's multi-service IP network platform. The state's Department of Health will be using the network for access by pharmacies, health offices, hospitals, and many other facilities distributed throughout the vast geography, spanning over 580,000 sq. km.

“Using the latest VSAT technology as part of our integrated multi-service platform will allow us to provide seamless access to all the government sectors regardless of their service location,” said Madame Isabel Pereira de Souza, President of PRODEMGE. The network deployment will be managed closely by the state Department of Health. “Having the ability to provide high speed IP connectivity wherever required will increase the public access to vital services provided by the Department of Health,” said Rodrigo Mendonça Queiroga, the responsible Project Manager.

“We are delighted with the contract award by PRODEMGE and are honored for being selected by such a prestigious institution,” said Ricardo Cruz, Brazil’s General Manager of Vodanet.

STM has had a track record in deployment of its advanced SatLink broadband platform by public sector IT institutions. Using the latest standards and highly efficient use of satellite
capacity enables such institutions to provide VSAT services with a quality that otherwise is not economically viable.

“Our technological advancements in improving and adapting the latest standards give us the ability to plan and offer differentiating satellite services that improve people's daily life,” said Umar Javed, STM Group's Executive Vice President. “That is what our services are meant to offer.”