TIDMAVN
Avanti Communications Group Plc
29 March 2017
Avanti Communications Group plc
("Avanti" or the "Company")
Avanti Communications announces a partnership with Millicom to
bring connectivity to Sub-Saharan Africa
The partnership will deploy wireless services to rural
communities using Avanti's innovative technology.
Avanti Communications Group plc, a leading provider of satellite
data communications services in Europe, the Middle East and Africa
(EMEA), announced today a partnership with leading international
telecommunications company Millicom, to bring broadband
connectivity to consumer, enterprise and government applications.
This will include the deployment of the Avanti ECO initiative
across Sub-Saharan Africa, which will provide ECO Wi-Fi services to
schools and communities, addressing the digital divide in the
region. By combining Avanti's world leading satellite technology,
with the market reach expertise from Millicom, the partnership will
additionally commission a new Gateway Earth Station (GES) in
Senegal.
Avanti will build a new GES and utilise Sen-Connect's soon to be
launched Diamniadio Data Centre. Sen-Connect is a fully owned
Millicom subsidiary in charge of managing this new data centre
which is part of the master development plan of Diamniadio being
pioneered by the Senegalese government. It is the first Tier III
designed data centre to be certified by the Uptime Institute within
UEMOA (West African Economic and Monetary Union). The development
of this data centre will provide a growth platform of the highest
quality infrastructure to support Senegal's ambition of providing
world class enterprise services within the region.
The new GES will guarantee data security within Senegal and will
provide secure, high-quality data connectivity for a burgeoning
government, enterprise and retail customer base. The co-innovation
of the major infrastructure will ensure that traffic generated
through the upcoming launch of Avanti's HYLAS 4 Ka-band satellite,
is managed in a secure and efficient way. The launch of HYLAS 4
will see Avanti complete its internet connectivity coverage across
the entire continent, and together with Tigo Senegal, Millicom's
operation in the country, and Sen-Connect, the Company will
continue to address vital rural broadband connectivity applications
in domains such as education and healthcare across Senegal.
Millicom and Wari Group signed on February 2(nd) 2017 an
agreement for the transfer of Tigo Senegal - to Wari, who has
endorsed this development with Avanti.
Continuing to improve broadband connectivity in the region,
Millicom will support the deployment of ECO wireless base station
sites across Sub-Saharan Africa with Avanti, providing rural
schools and communities which have poor and no internet
connectivity, with a quality and reliable broadband connection. The
ECO Wi-Fi initiative, launched by Avanti in October 2016, consists
of solar-powered ECO Wi-Fi hotspots which will be hosted at
schools, which in turn will benefit from subsidised Internet
access. Consumers and local businesses, within range of the ECO
Wi-Fi hotspot, will use the ECO mobile payment app (newly developed
by Avanti) to make micropayments for broadband credits which
convert to data usage.
Mohamed Dabbour, Executive Vice President Millicom Africa said:
"We are pleased to be partnering with Avanti to expand our
activities in Africa. Our support to the GES will ensure provision
of highly secure, quality data connectivity to government,
enterprise and retail customers in Senegal. Working with Avanti to
ensure its Ka-band services address the enormous potential in
Africa, together with the ECO initiative is a great
opportunity."
David Williams, Chief Executive Officer at Avanti
Communications, said: "Avanti is pleased to partner with Millicom,
who are well placed to support our infrastructure and deliver
market access across Sub Saharan Africa for our products. In
particular, working together on the ECO project to deliver
satellite backhauled rural access is a significant
opportunity."
--ENDS--
For further information please contact:
Montfort: Nick Miles / James Olley, +44 (0)203 770 7909
Redleaf: Lara Pyliotis, +44 (0)207 382 4763
Cenkos Securities: Max Hartley (Nomad) / Julian Morse, +44
(0)207 397 8900
Notes to Editors
About Avanti Communications
Avanti connects people wherever they are - in their homes,
businesses, in government and on mobiles. Through the HYLAS
satellite fleet and more than 180 partners in 118 countries, the
network provides ubiquitous internet service to a quarter of the
world's population. Avanti delivers the level of quality and
flexibility that the most demanding telecoms customers in the world
seek.
Avanti is the first mover in high throughput satellite data
communications in EMEA. It has rights to orbital slots and Ka-band
spectrum in perpetuity that covers an end market of over 1.7bn
people.
The Group has invested $1.2bn in a network that incorporates
satellites, ground stations, datacentres and a fibre ring.
Avanti has a unique Cloud based customer interface that is
protected by patented technology.
Avanti Communications is listed in London on AIM (AVN:LSE).
www.avantiplc.com
About Millicom
Millicom is a leading telecom and media company dedicated to
emerging markets in Latin America and Africa. Millicom sets the
pace when it comes to providing innovative and customer-centric
digital lifestyle services through its principal brand, Tigo.
Millicom employs more than 16,000 people and provides mobile
services to more than 57 million customers, with a Cable footprint
of more than 8.1 million homes passed. Founded in 1990, Millicom
International Cellular SA is headquartered in Luxembourg and listed
on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm under the symbol MIC. In 2016, Millicom
generated revenue of USD 6.25 billion and Adjusted EBITDA of USD
2.22 billion.
About Wari
Incorporated in 2008, Wari is a digital platform offering value
added financial and non-financial services to customers,
businesses, Institutions and merchants.
Wari's innovative platform, available in more than 60 countries,
500,000 sending outlets worldwide and 45,000 paying points in
Africa, provides a wide variety of products and services (water and
electricity bill payment, pensions, scholarships and salary
payments, TV subscription, airtime, lotteries, Wari payment cards,
remittances, insurance, etc.) and accepts all payment means (cash,
bank accounts, vouchers, cards, wallets, etc.).
Wari has partnership with 154 leading banks. More than 1,000 are
connected to its digital platform.
Wari's objective, for Africa and abroad, is to promote financial
and social inclusion for all, inside an open and integrated Wari
ecosystem. . Wari is leveraging strategic partnerships, its strong
last mile network, and its highly secure platform to provide
affordable, simple and convenient services tailored to customers'
needs.
Website: http://www.wari.com
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
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