O3b Networks today announced leading Telecom Service Provider Gulfsat Madagascar has signed a long-term capacity deal to provide satellite-delivered high-speed broadband and telephony services across the island nation of Madagascar.

Tapping the unique competitive advantages of O3b’s Medium Earth Orbit satellite fleet, Gulfsat Madagascar can offer residents and businesses on the world’s fourth-largest island a new level of broadband solutions with the speed of fiber and the reach and reliability of satellite. O3b-delivered connectivity empowers communities with unprecedented low latencies (under 150 milliseconds), unlimited, affordable bandwidth and unrivaled operational savings.

The island of Madagascar, off the Southeastern coast of Africa, is served by submarine fiber-optic cables, but Gulfsat sees significant benefits in the affordability and resiliency of O3b’s Ka-band satellite solutions.

“Together with O3b Networks, Gulfsat is well positioned to deliver a wide range of broadband, voice and data transmission services with the speed and cost effectiveness of fiber and the high availability and resilience of satellite,” said Damien de Lamberterie, General Manager, Gulfsat Madagascar. “Gulfsat will leverage that winning combination across Madagascar, where consumers and businesses alike have been waiting for an affordable high-speed, low latency solution for years.”

“Gulfsat is a true innovator already offering triple play services in Madagascar under the brand name Blueline. O3b is proud to enable this leading African telecom provider to realize its vision of unleashing the full potential of the region through affordable high-speed broadband,” explained Omar Trujillo, O3b Networks, VP Africa & Latam. “The O3b-Gulfsat alliance eliminates the technical limitations and high costs that have frustrated Internet access providers across Africa for years. Gulfsat is breaking new ground once again, with an eye on a better Internet experience for all.”

About Gulfsat Madagascar

Created in 1997, Gulfsat Madagascar is a pioneer in Internet access and data transmission systems and networks in Madagascar and the Indian Ocean region. Gulfsat is considered a leader in wireless network deployment and operations with state-of-the-art technologies for a broad range of connectivity offerings, including VSAT telephony and Wimax.

About O3b Networks Ltd.

O3b Networks is building a new fiber-quality, satellite-based, global Internet backbone for telecommunications operators (telcos) and Internet service providers (ISP’s) in emerging markets. The O3b Networks system will combine global reach and the speed of a fiber-optic network. With investments and operational support from SES, Google Inc. Liberty Global, Inc. HSBC Principal Investments, Northbridge Venture Partners and Allen & Company, the O3b system will provide telcos and ISPs with a low-cost, high-speed alternative to connect their 3G, WiMAX and fixed-line networks to the rest of the world. This will allow billions of consumers and businesses in more than 150 countries to benefit from high-speed Internet connectivity for educational, medical and commercial applications. O3b Networks is headquartered in St. John, Jersey, Channel Islands.