Intelsat, Orange to serve French Guiana
August 9, 2021
By Chris Forrester
Intelsat has beaten off competition from rival satellite operators and has agreed to partner with telco Orange to deliver a “reliable” 4G/5G service to French Guiana, best known for its rocket launch facility at Kourou.
Intelsat will provide cellular backhaul services in French Guiana that will provide universal services and increase access to both telecommunications and advanced connectivity solutions for Orange customers.
“Through our partnership, Orange will leverage our network sizing and design services to build a consistent business model that is future proof,” said Intelsat Senior Key Account Director, Europe Pablo Catapodis.
Orange will leverage the capabilities of the Intelsat 10-02 (IS-10-02) satellite to upgrade and expand its existing 2G network and provide reliable 3G/4G services in French Guiana, including to some of the most remote and rural areas of the territory. IS-10-02 had its life extended earlier this year after successfully docking with Northrop Grumman’s Mission Extension Vehicle-2 (MEV-2).
“We are proud to expand and upgrade our mobile coverage in rural areas with a flexible and cost-effective solution to deliver a first-in-class customer experience.” said Boris Fayolle, project manager, Strategy and Network Development at Orange. “The Intelsat and Orange collaboration was a key element throughout the process to guarantee our overall success.”