Broadband/Connectivity/Telcos News

Gilat Satellite Networks secures $17m contract from Pronatel

The agreement includes the expansion of the network and provision of services for a decade to meet the increasing demand for internet access in additional areas of the Amazonas region.

Gilat Satellite Networks has received a $17m contract from Pronatel for the expansion of a regional telecommunications project in Peru. This marks an extension of the existing partnership initiated in 2018 between Pronatel (Programa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones) and Gilat.

In collaboration with the Amazonas regional government, Pronatel is set to broaden the scope of the project, encompassing connectivity for 35 new localities and the incorporation of numerous public institutions, including schools and health posts, within the Amazonas region. Gilat, in its expanded role, will also establish several free Wi-Fi hotspots and a community tele-center equipped with computers, printers, and internet services, committed for a decade.

Commenting on the deal, Sarita Vílchez Castellanos, Executive Director of Pronatel National Telecommunications Programme, said: “Through this expansion to the Broadband Project for the Amazonas region, 37 additional schools and six additional health posts will now have internet access to promote telehealth, tele-education, and the utilization of technological tools among the citizens. Citizens will also benefit from a new digital access centre and additional public squares with free Wi-Fi, further promoting inclusion and digital literacy among citizens in rural areas.”

Arieh Rohrstock, General Manager of Gilat Peru and Gilat’s Corporate SVP, added: “Now that the necessary infrastructure for the Amazonas region is nearly completed, this expansion with Pronatel will serve the people of the region well as we move into the operational phase of the project in earnest. Working together with Pronatel and the regional government, we’re proud to provide people more access to resources and information, bridging the digital divide and fulfilling the right of all people to be connected.”