Addressing the digital divide is a priority for all African countries, and satellite connectivity will play an increasingly important role in providing solutions, according to forthcoming research by Rwandan Information and Communications Technology (ICT) expert, Jean-Philbert Nsengimana.
Nsengimana’s white paper ‘Satellite Connectivity: The Key to Digital Transformation in Africa’ was released to the public during AfricaCom 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa.
The research, sponsored by satellite industry pioneer Intelsat, will be the topic of discussion during a panel presented by Access Partnership.
“Africa is home to a significant number of people who do not have access to the Internet, and this research and roundtable discussion provides an important platform to consider Africa’s connectivity progress and challenges” explained Wydeman Coetzee, senior manager at Access Partnership. “The panelists will include representatives from government, regulators, and financial institutions, and their insight will prove extremely valuable in predicting the future of connectivity in Africa and in developing policy recommendations for the continent’s leaders.”
Intelsat was the first operator to introduce satellite services to Africa in 1965. It was the first operator to enable pan-regional broadband networks and to provide critical connectivity to educational networks, delivering a direct-to-home platform and bringing cellular backhaul services to Africa (including 2G, 3G, and LTE). Intelsat has sales and operational offices across the globe, including Johannesburg, South Africa, Dakar, Senegal, and Nairobi, Kenya.
Download the white paper here.
