Facebook and EU satellite operator team up to deliver broadband to Africa

European satellite operator Eutelsat Communications and social media company Facebook announced on 5 October 22015 they were working jointly to deliver satellite broadband Internet to connectivity-hungry sub-Saharan Africa.

The firms revealed they had reached a multi-year agreement with satellite communication firm Spacecom to use the entire broadband payload of the AMOS-6 satellite due to come on stream in the second half of 2016 and provide coverage for large swathes of sub-Saharan Africa, after identifying 'pent-up demand for connectivity'.

• Primary Source

Eutelsat: Press Release, 05.10.15: Eutelsat and Facebook to partner on satellite initiative to get more Africans online http://news.eutelsat.com/pressreleases/eutelsat-and-facebook-to-partner-on-satellite-initiative-to-get-more-africans-online-1228638

PC World, 05.10.15: Facebook, Eutelsat block-book satellite capacity to deliver Internet to Africa http://www.pcworld.com/article/2988842/facebook-eutelsat-block-book-satellite-capacity-to-deliver-internet-to-africa.html

Deutsche Welle, 05.10.15: Facebook, Eutelsat link up to get more Africans online http://dw.com/p/1Gihe

Washington Post, 05.10.15: Facebook is going to start beaming Internet to Africa next year https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/10/05/facebook-is-going-to-beam-internet-to-africa/

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