Broadband/Connectivity News Tech Updates

SES signs distribution deal of O3b mPOWER with Profen

The agencies and organisations will have access to satellite connectivity for mobile backhaul, disaster recovery, private 5G and more across Türkiye and beyond.

Istanbul-based satellite service Profen and SES have announced that the energy companies, government agencies, telco companies and humanitarian aid organisations in Türkiye, the Middle East and Africa will soon be able to access high-performance, low-latency satellite-based connectivity services.

The combined capacity and infrastructure agreements will see Profen, the global high-tech solutions company, deploy SES’s second-generation medium earth orbit (MEO) system – O3b mPOWER – and build a gateway in Türkiye to jointly deliver high-performance connectivity to serve identified market opportunities of more than 10 Gbps.

By installing the O3b mPOWER gateway at the core of its networks, Profen’s customers in industries such as telecommunications, energy and humanitarian aid organisations can roll-out more secure networks and minimise latency by reducing the required hops between endpoints. In addition, Profen will be providing a range of services such as mobile backhaul, disaster recovery and private 5G, enabling local companies and neighbouring ones in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia to enjoy the services that are backed by robust service level agreements.

The partnership is designed to enhance the digital infrastructure and broadband services of the region. According to data from the International Telecommunication Union, Türkiye has more than 71m internet users for a penetration rate of 83%. The same research also shows that while there are plans to deploy 5G networks across the country, today almost 82m cellular mobile connections are still on 3G and 4G networks in 2023. The partnership between Profen and SES will not only boost digital infrastructure and broadband services but enable both companies to provide connectivity solutions to various market segments, ultimately resulting in improved network coverage, faster speeds, low-latency and enhanced reliability and security.

Speaking about the partnership, Cem Odaman, Chief Business Development Officer at Profen, said: “The launch of the O3b mPOWER system represents a significant milestone for the satcom industry, and we are proud to be at the forefront of this technological revolution. As a leading provider of high-tech solutions, Profen is committed to delivering innovative and reliable connectivity services to our customers. With the deployment of SES’s O3b mPOWER gateway in Türkiye, we are excited to offer our customers on land, out at sea or in the skies unprecedented access to high-performance, low-latency satellite-based connectivity services.”

Brendan O’Callaghan, Global Head of Enterprise and Cloud at SES, added: “We are very excited to partner with Profen and to jointly introduce high-throughput and low-latency satellite-enabled services to Türkiye and surrounding regions. With O3b mPOWER, Profen will have access to a reliable and high-speed network, whenever and wherever they need it, allowing them to quickly and flexibly address the changing connectivity demands of their customers, including the highly anticipated 5G technology.”

Two launches have already taken place in December 2022 and April 2023, with a third and final launch of two additional satellites still to come, bringing the total number of satellites to six. The system is expected to be operational by Q3 2023, enabling companies and organisations to benefit from high-performance network services offering throughput, low latency, and reliable service availability.