Afghanistan Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Eutelsat to Accelerate Access to Satellite for Digital Services

 Ministry of Communications and Information Technology signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL) in a Press Conference, which was held on Wednesday January 29, 2014 in MCIT’s conference Hall.

The conference was attended by Minister of Communications and IT H. E. Amirzai Sangin, leadership of MCIT, deputy Ministers of Economy, commerce and Industries, Communication and Culture, Ambassador of France, Chairman and CEO of Eutelsat Michel de Rosen, and mass media representatives.
Explaining the ICT development in Afghanistan and achievements of MCIT His Excellency Amirzai Sangin said: this is a new milestone in the development of the ICT sector in Afghanistan. And congratulated the President of Afghanistan, government agencies and all people of Afghanistan for this great achievement. He also expressed satisfaction working with Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL), one of the world’s leading satellite operators.

According the agreement, Eutelsat will deploy an in-orbit satellite from next month to 48° east to deliver full national coverage and extensive reach of Central Asia and the Middle East. The satellite will be officially called AFGHANSAT 1 by the government, reflecting Afghanistan’s entry into the commercial satellite business.
AFGHANSAT 1 will support a wide range of services including broadcasting, mobile telephony backhaul and IP connectivity. MCIT and Eutelsat have also agreed on exploring opportunities for longer-term cooperation.

AFGHANSAT 1 will provide access to ICT services to Afghans in currently unserved areas and support the transformation of Afghanistan in a digital society.”
After that Michel de Rosen, Chairman and CEO of Eutelsat, said. “This agreement is the fastest and most effective route to accessing infrastructure that we have configured to deliver full coverage of Afghanistan and surrounding regions. It enables Afghanistan to scale up capacity as and when needed and to offer broadcasters, telcos and ISPs the immediate benefit of resources providing unparalleled reach. We are honoured to be Afghanistan’s chosen partner for this important initiative.”