(7 February 2008 6:25 pm)

BANGALORE: Hughes India (HI) has announced the signing of a contract with Comat Technologies to supply ten thousand broadband satellite terminals, together with its nationwide HughesNet satellite services and applications to be delivered at rural business centers across multiple states in India.

Speaking about the agreement with Hughes, Comat President Sriram Raghavan stated, “Having strong experience in delivering e-governance solutions and services in partnership with various states, Comat has established a unique blend of content and delivery that has allowed the concept of a community services center (CSC) to be become a reality. Together with Hughes, the company is now gearing up to deploy these CSC’s throughout India’s rural regions.”

Hughes president and CEO Pradman Kaul said, “This agreement demonstrates our collective ability to close the so-called digital divide in rural India, combining our advanced equipment technology, HughesNet satellite broadband services, and Comat’s e-governance applications. Customers everywhere will soon enjoy high-speed internet access, and a growing range of e-governance and other value-added applications such as distance learning on an affordable, pay as you go basis.”

As per an official release, the Hughes and Comat consortium won the right to roll out the kiosks in Sikkim, Tripura and various parts of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Uttaranchal through a competitive bidding process for the Government of India’s Community Services Centers.

HI president and CEO Pranav Roach said, “Hughes and Comat have been working together through numerous initiatives to bring the benefits of broadband to people in rural and semi urban areas. Two thousand of the 10 thousand terminals have already been delivered, and we are working closely with Comat to ensure smooth deployment of the HughesNet Fusion Services at these rural centres in the five states.”