LONDON: Intelsat Ltd has launched a new broadband network in West Africa, thereby expanding its total number of operational broadband networks worldwide to six.

The company offers telephony, corporate network, video and Internet solutions around the globe via capacity on 25 geosynchronous satellites in prime orbital locations.

In the West African region, its broadband service platform makes two-way broadband Internet access and IP networking directly available to ISPs, diversified carriers and other entities serving businesses, home offices, governments, corporations and other users.

According to a company release, the newly launched West African Ku-band network which is offered using the Gilat 360E platform and Intelsat's new 907 satellite located at 332.5ºE, joins Intelsat's two existing East African Ku-band and Pan-African C-band broadband networks.

The three combined African networks, offered on a wholesale basis through regional service providers including Satcom Communication Networks, Africa and Equatorial Communications, now cover 90 percent of sub-Saharan Africa and are offered through Intelsat's hub in Fuchsstadt, Germany.

With the addition of the West African network, the six Intelsat-owned broadband platforms cover Europe, Africa and an area that stretches from the North Andean region of South America to the Southern United States. Service providers Axesat, GlobalSat and Etapa are among those that currently offer the Intelsat Broadband Service to customers in the Latin American region.

Intelsat claims its broadband platform provides a two-way "always-on", DSL-like service which enables end-user applications such as email, web browsing, VoIP, video conferencing and distance learning. The Intelsat Broadband Service reduces service provider investment and time to market by offering operational networks for which the investment in the hub has already been made. In addition, Intelsat's broadband platform can be tailored to suit individual customer needs instead of offering pre-determined service classes.

Intelsat's senior director of Global Broadband Services Erich Fischer was quoted in the release as saying, "One characteristic that sets Intelsat's broadband offering apart from others is that our service is operational around the world, and can be used by a multi-national entity looking for a high-speed and reliable way to reach offices scattered around the globe in a cost-effective manner.

He adds, "Intelsat is committed to growing our broadband offering worldwide, beyond our existing networks in Latin America, Europe and Africa, to provide customers with flexible, reliable and useful communications solutions."